'Brilliant' - What Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has said about John Mousinho and Pompey

Neil Critchley believes that Portsmouth will provide the sternest test yet for his Blackpool side ahead of their EFL League One clash tomorrow (November 25).

The Tangerines travel down to Fratton Park to face Pompey who currently lead the division. Portsmouth have yet to lose in the league this season with 10 wins and six draws. Pompey's only defeats this season have come to Chesterfield in the FA Cup and to Peterborough United in the Carabao Cup.

Critchley said: "You don't get a more difficult game than Portsmouth away in our division at this moment in time because they're top of the league and they're unbeaten.

"If you were picking the toughest game this would be it. We've competed with the best teams in this league away from home so far this season.

"We've been more of a match for them and we're coming off the back of a good result ourselves. We know that we'll have to play well if we want to get something but if we do we'll also know that we are capable of getting something. It's got the makings of a really good game."

45-year-old Neil Critchley has been coaching for the last 24-years having retied as a player in 2000. His opposite number Mousinho has only been in management since January after succeeding Danny Cowley. He had been a coach at Oxford United, but at 36-years-old and with no managerial experience, he was given one of the toughest jobs in the division with high expectations.

The former Brentford and Preston North End midfielder is so far on course to meet those expectations, and Critchley who will stand in the opposite dugout tomorrow, has a big amount of respect for Mousinho.

"He's been brilliant, absolutely fantastic to be unbeaten for so long," said Critchley about Mousinho.

"I saw them play last season because I saw Owen (Dale) and I know one of their players that is unfortunately injured Tom Lowery, who used to be at Crewe and I coached him. I watched Portsmouth play last year and I was really impressed by them. They've progressed again and that is down to John and his coaching team there.

"You can see that there is a clear way of playing and because they are winning games they are full of confidence. They are hard to beat, they've got that balance right, they don't concede many goals and they score at the other end.

"We know that we are in for a tough game and he's done a great job so far. I hope they carry on to progress but only after our game on Saturday."