A glance at the League One table shows five teams realistically fighting it out for automatic promotion to the Championship.
Pompey are one of them and currently holding top spot, but still have to face the other four – Peterborough, Barnsley, Derby and Bolton.
But John Mousinho believes it would be a mistake to take their eye off the ball ahead of tonight’s Fratton contest with Burton.
The visitors are currently located just above the League One drop zone and he feels that makes them a dangerous prospect.
The Blues boss said: “It will be a different test for us against Burton, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be any easier.
“It might be more difficult, in fact, against a side who performed well at the weekend and were unlucky not to take a point against Peterborough.
“They were well organised, caught them on the break and were a threat from set-pieces. Their league position might not suggest it, but it’s a game where we’ll have to be fully focused.
“Patience might be needed at times, although that’s the case most weeks, and we have to make sure we get forward and send balls into the box when we can.
"You have to play every side twice and I don’t think there’s necessarily a pattern to our results against the sides at the top and bottom of the table."
“That’s what football is all about and you have to find the right mix, otherwise you become a bit predictable.
“You have to play every side twice and I don’t think there’s necessarily a pattern to our results against the sides at the top and bottom of the table.
“It doesn’t really concern us at all – the exciting thing is that we’re in a good position with nine games of the season remaining.”
With Connor Ogilvie the latest player to book a seat in the treatment room, there were naturally concerns when both Callum Lang and Jack Sparkes hurt their ankles at Blackpool on Saturday.
Mousinho said: “Langy’s a lot better than we thought he was going to be and is probably 50-50 for this game, so we’ll see how it settles down.
“It’s a real departure from the other ankle injuries we’ve had this season and we’re pretty hopeful that he’ll be ready.
“Jack is fine and there are no issues there. It was just a contact injury and a bit of bleeding, but he’s available.
“We’re also another step closer to Lee Evans coming into the fold, plus we’ve seen Zak Swanson back on the bench and Ben Stevenson is progressing well.”