Portsmouth suffer double defensive blow after crushing news revealed
Portsmouth have dealt with a lengthy list of injury concerns this season, with John Mousinho having his work cut out to find solutions in such a fast-paced league.
The Championship has been a cruel mistress at times, but Pompey are coming out valiantly and battling, securing a third successive league win on Saturday (22 February) against QPR at Fratton Park.
However, the 2-1 victory arrives bittersweet with Mousinho now dealing with a crushing new double injury blow.
Portsmouth await news on defensive duo
Portsmouth were already rocked by the news Callum Lang is likely to miss the rest of the season, adding to a list of sidelined players – some of whom have not yet even made their debuts.
Conor Shaughnessy had built an excellent partnership with January arrival Rob Atkinson at the heart of the Blues’ defence after five months out, and now he is injured again with a hamstring issue.
Atkinson – who was absent for two years before joining Pompey on loan from Bristol City – is now thought to have a problem after his first-half withdrawal against QPR.
And finally, his central defensive partner, deputising for Shaughnessy is young Australian Hayden Matthews. Or at least until Saturday. According to BBC Radio Solent’s Andy Moon, Matthews left the ground on crutches with an issue of his own.
“Pompey defender Hayden Matthews left the ground on crutches with his right leg in a protective boot,” Moon posted on X.
#Pompey defender Hayden Matthews left the ground on crutches with his right leg in a protective boot
— Andrew Moon (@mrandrewmoon) February 22, 2025
Mousinho has not had a break with injuries
It has been a relentless conveyor belt of injuries for Mousinho and Portsmouth and the fact the squad was so bloated at the start of the season has probably saved them.
As of early on Saturday evening, Pompey still awaits the medical update on both Atkinson and Matthews, with the hope they can still play the majority of the final 12 games of the campaign to see out the safety mission.
One boost defensively is that the man to replace Atkinson during the first half was Regan Poole, a very equipped centre-half who has barely had the chance to demonstrate what he can do in the Championship himself.
The hope is that Poole can stay fit in the absence of his teammates, which still includes right-back Jordan Williams who can fill in seamlessly at centre-half.
Marlon Pack has found a key role as a midfield substitute in some recent games but has been suspect when filling in at the back and it would be an alternative Portsmouth would rather avoid.
Pompey must now take further advantage of that ‘Fortress Fratton’ effect with three of their next five fixtures coming on home turf.