Swanson axed as teammate injured – Portsmouth predicted XI v Oxford
John Mousinho could make two changes to his Portsmouth side to visit his former club Oxford United this weekend.
Mousinho returns to a familiar venue of the Kassam Stadium this Saturday lunchtime (15 February) as Pompey look to vitally improve their abject away form this season.
The Blues dug out another positive result at Fratton Park on Tuesday night (11 February), by hook or by crook overcoming Cardiff City 2-1 courtesy of a fast start in which they led by two inside 17 minutes.
Portsmouth suffering with injury doubts
Mousinho was forced to omit Freddie Potts from his line-up and the matchday squad altogether against Cardiff, admitting the midfielder felt his calf in a blow which now sees him “50/50” to face Oxford.
With the experienced Isaac Hayden ready to once again deputise alongside Andre Dozzell, and Marlon Pack waiting in the wings having contributed well off the bench in midweek, it is unlikely Mousinho will risk Potts unless there is no danger of the issue returning.
Conor Shaughnessy is the significant injury risk. The 28-year-old has already missed the bulk of this season with two separate calf injuries, and tweaked his hamstring on the hour mark at Fratton Park, rendering him unfit to continue. Hayden Matthews is likely to be the man to replace him on Saturday while it is unsure for how long Shaughnessy will be out.
Regan Poole is back in full training but Saturday could come too soon for him to start, likewise with Kusini Yengi, who would be unlikely to usurp Colby Bishop in leading the line up front in any case.
Pompey players hitting form at right time
Among a numerous clutch of figures in blue heading back to familiar surroundings at Oxford are Josh Murphy and Rob Atkinson, the former having roared the Us into the Championship with his brace in the League One play-off final last year.
He is in inspired form for Portsmouth on the left-hand side right now and is the first name on the teamsheet. Atkinson will also be expected to fulfil a key role at the heart of the defence having probably lost Shaughnessy alongside him for now.
Zak Swanson struggled at right-back against Cardiff and was arguably at fault for their goal through Callum O’Dowda, who beat him to his goalscoring header too easily; Mousinho withdrew him for Terry Devlin at the break, and Devlin could get the nod to start with Jordan Williams still absent.
Connor Ogilvie will continue at left-back despite the recent arrival of Cohen Bramall, while Callum Lang has been a talisman who has tailed off slightly of late and will be chomping at the bit to rekindle his match-winning contribution for the Blues.
Nicolas Schmid will retain his place between the sticks, while Matt Ritchie is proving plenty of onlookers wrong with a tenacity on the pitch which rolls back the years. He will again be fit to start, while the likes of Adil Aouchiche, Kaide Gordon and Mark O’Mahony – who scored in the reverse fixture at Fratton – can provide cover from the bench.