Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers will be looking to kick off the new League One season with a positive result when they go head-to-head at Fratton Park on Saturday.

The hosts will be targeting a promotion push, while the Gas will want to improve upon last season's 17th-placed finish.

Match preview

Having spent 11 years in the bottom two divisions of the EFL, Portsmouth will be hoping this is the season that they can finally end their long wait for Championship football.

John Mousinho, who was appointed Pompey boss in January, was unable to guide his side into the playoffs despite losing just four of his 23 league games in charge.

Rather than defeats, it was a failure to convert draws into victories that saw Portsmouth finish in eighth place and seven points adrift of the playoffs with 19 of their 46 league matches ending all square - only Lincoln City drew more games in League One last term.

After falling short of the top six, Pompey have been busy strengthening their squad over the summer, recruiting as many as 12 players.

Their new signings will be looking to get off to a positive start, and Pompey will be hopeful of claiming all three points, having won their last three meetings with Bristol Rovers.

Their opponents, meanwhile, are preparing for their second straight season in the third tier after staving off relegation last term.

After winning promotion from League Two in 2021-22, the Gas would have been content with a 17th-placed finish, but they will now be setting their objectives a little higher.

Joey Barton's side will need to improve defensively if they are to operate in the top half of the table this term after shipping 73 league goals last season - only four teams conceded more in League One.

Bristol Rovers have seemingly moved to solve those issues by bolstering their backline with the additions of Connor Taylor, James Wilson and George Friend.

After failing to win any of their final four away games of the 2022-23 campaign, the Gas will be looking to end that winless run when they make the trip to Fratton Park on Saturday.