They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.

They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.

They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.

They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.

They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.

They say the league table never lies.

In that respect, Pompey fully deserve to be in play-off contention with nearly a third of the 2026-27 season completed.

Twenty-two points from their 15 games played sees them just two points off the top eight as they sit 11th during the last international break of the year.

They also enjoy a 12-point gap on the relegation zone, a luxury they’ve not enjoyed since rejoining the ranks of the second tier in 2024.

During the summer, Pompey fans were told reaching this level was something the club was targeting after two exhausting years of constant flirting with the threat of the drop.

That ambition was reflected in the Blues’ last transfer window spend, with millions spent to bring in the likes of Marko Milovanovic, Rocco Shein, Abu Kamara and Tyrse Shade and boost John Mousinho’s pool of players.

In total, 12 new arrivals were brought in to make Pompey a more competitive force in the division.

Yet the money the Blues spent to strengthen was dwarfed by the vast majority of their Championship rivals.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say Pompey are punching above their weight as they dream of a play-off push.

That’s not a critcism, by the way. It’s the opposite, actually, as it once again highlights what a wonderful job Mousinho is doing at Fratton Park.

It’s also fair to say that many of the Blues’ rivals are underachieving given the resources they have at their disposal.

But which teams join Pompey in ‘punching’ and who are the ones falling short of expectations?

We’ve had a look based on the current market values of all the teams currently competing in the Championship.

Transfermarkt has been utilised for this purpose - and here’s what we discovered.