John Mousinho believes his squad can cope with the hectic League One fixture list over the festive period.
Pompey welcome Fleetwood to Fratton Park on Saturday, then visit Bristol Rovers and Exeter before 2023 is out and usher in the new year by hosting Stevenage.
It means there is little chance to enjoy any Christmas cheer, with the battle to remain at the summit requiring full focus.
So Mousinho wants every player to be ready for what lies ahead, starting with a contest against a Cod Army outfit currently occupying a relegation place.
The Blues boss said: “We’ve got four games in a short space of time with the busy Christmas schedule, so a prepared squad is paramount.
“You have to be ready for the quick turnaround and we never know what’s around the corner in terms of injuries and suspensions.
“Players need to be able to step in whenever called upon and in the past, they’ve always done that really well.
“It’s strange that Fleetwood have been struggling because there are some really good players there and they’ve got Lee Johnson, whose got a great coaching pedigree.
"You have to be ready for the quick turnaround and we never know what’s around the corner in terms of injuries and suspensions."
“So they’re perhaps in a false position and have the capabilities to beat any team in this league on their day.
“We’ll have to be wary of some of the individuals they have, while also guarding against any complacency.”
Tom Lowery’s scheduled midweek comeback was delayed because of a tight calf, while Mousinho has a couple of new injury doubts.
He said: “Tom is okay. He’s gone for a scan and there’s not much concern, but we want to make sure he’s happy.
“Connor Ogilvie has been back out on the grass and is progressing nicely. We expect him to return to full training in a couple of weeks.
“Zak Swanson came off on Tuesday after feeling his groin, which is a problem he had surgery on last season.
“He didn’t train with us on Thursday, so we’re not sure if he’s going to be available against Fleetwood at the weekend.
“Christian Saydee took a really heavy tackle – that bizarrely went unpunished – towards the end of the game. His foot has swollen up, so we’re keeping an eye on that.”