Portsmouth head into this Championship opener with the kind of quiet confidence that only a fortress like Fratton Park can breed. John Moushino's side ended last term with a battling 1-1 draw against Birmingham City, and while that wasn't a statement win, it showed the defensive resilience that has become their trademark. The place will be bouncing this weekend — you can almost hear the Fratton End roaring already. Pompey have been busy in the transfer market too, with Abu Kamara arriving to add some much-needed spark in the final third. After a tough campaign where chances were scarce and striker Colby Bishop managed just four league goals, the fresh faces suggest they've identified the problem and are attacking it head-on.

QPR, though, arrive in a state of near-crisis. Julian Stephan's side lost their final four league games last season, shipping at least two goals in every single one of them. That's a defensive leak that would sink any ship, and they've only just been dumped out of the Carabao Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Millwall. The shoot-out defeat on 11 August was a gut punch, and the psychological scars from that run of defeats are still fresh. Yes, they've made six new signings, including Dennis Cirkin and the experienced Glen Kamara, but new faces don't automatically fix a broken spine. The momentum is firmly with the hosts here.