Gallen to take charge of fading Pompey as they head to Posh

Pompey sacked long-serving manager Kenny Jackett on Sunday, just hours after the south coast club's 2020 EFL Trophy Final defeat to Sky Bet League Two side Salford City on penalties at Wembley Stadium.

Portsmouth drew the match 0-0 but then lost the shootout 4-2, and that proved to be the final straw for club bosses who have seen Pompey slip out of the race for automatic promotion from league one.

Following a run of just three wins in 13 matches, Jackett, who had been the boss at Pompey since June, 2017, was shown the door at Fratton Park.

Gallen has been Jackett's assistant throughout his time at Pompey, and will now step up to manage the team on a caretaker basis for the trip to the Weston Homes Stadium.

A statement on the Pompey club website read: "Portsmouth Football Club can confirm that assistant manager Joe Gallen will be in charge for Tuesday’s League One match at Peterborough.

"The club are currently in the process of appointing a new first team manager following the departure of Kenny Jackett.

"Pompey can also confirm that Nigel Gibbs has left his role on the coaching team.

"We would like to thank him for his assistance over the past few weeks and wish him well for the future."

Pompey will arrive at London Road having dropped out of the play-off places over the weekend, to be replaced in the top six by Ipswich Town, now managed by former Portsmouth boss Paul Cook.

Portsmouth were looking good for automatic promotion at the turn of the year, sitting in second place in the table and three points better off than Posh, who were then fifth.

Now, Pompey are seventh, and trail second-placed Posh by 10 points, having played the same number of games.