Sutton says Stags have nothing to fear at Fratton Park

The former Premier League club will be roared on by a big home crowd, but Sutton said everyone was relishing the match and believing they can get something out of it.

“I couldn’t hear myself think down there for the first 10 minutes last season,” he said.

“It will be a big atmosphere. But we were 1-0 up down there until 15 minutes from the end last season so we know we can go there and get a result.

“Even though they are a massive club with some good players, I know we have got more than enough to beat them. They are not running away with the the league or unbeatable. We’ve won more games than them.”Sutton is now waiting to see if boss Paul Cox will go with a back four or push Lee Beevers in alongside him and Martin Riley to maintain the usual back three.

“At the beginning of the season we had five strong centre halves and knew there was going to be a lot of competition or places,” he said. “But they are dropping like flies. We’ve just been unlucky but we’ve go to do the best with what we’ve got.

“We still have the players in the changing room to get results. There are no excuses – we have to go out there and perform. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves.

“If we are asked to play together in a back four, me and Martin Riley have done it before in the past. It won’t be alien to us and we know each other’s game.”