Mousinho could rue Devlin mistake in two Portsmouth changes v Blackburn
John Mousinho has named his Portsmouth starting XI to take on Blackburn Rovers following the international break.
The Championship clash at Fratton Park (29 March) is the final fixture before a massive April in terms of establishing themselves in the league for next season.
Mousinho will be looking for Pompey to respond from back-to-back defeats, against a Blackburn side in relegation form despite their position in the top half of the table as pressure mounts on Valerien Ismael.
Devlin mistake could punish Mousinho in two changes
Terry Devlin started the last outing for Portsmouth, an agonising late 2-1 defeat at Preston North End a fortnight ago (15 March).
He then made his first two senior appearances in a Northern Ireland shirt over the international period, taking plenty of acclaim from those of a Portsmouth persuasion including his teammates.
However, Mousinho has dropped Devlin for Saturday’s game, with Zak Swanson in at right-back. If there was any opportunity for the 21-year-old to play further forward, the head coach has persisted with Adil Aouchiche in the number 10 role – in which Devlin replaced the Frenchman for the second half of the recent win over Leeds United to great effect.
Mousinho will be sincerely hoping the gamble with Devlin pays off, having withdrawn a player in the peak of his current powers which could be a decision he lives to rue.
Expect to see Devlin one of the first to come off the bench should things not be going to plan for Pompey over the course of the afternoon, though there is plenty of attacking power eager to prove themselves, too.
Kusini Yengi picked up a minor hamstring strain while away with Australia in the latest episode of a hugely frustrating season for the striker. Matt Ritchie comes back into the fold and captains the side, after being benched at Deepdale two weeks ago.
Williams and Milosevic in Portsmouth squad
Another boost for Portsmouth in their never-ending battle against defensive injuries is the return of Jordan Williams to the matchday squad as a substitute.
Williams last featured in the 5-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion back in late January having steadily built up an excellent few showings at the back.
| Portsmouth – remaining home fixtures | Date |
| Blackburn Rovers | 29 March |
| Derby County | 12 April |
| Watford | 21 April |
| Hull City | 3 May |
Alex Milosevic, signed as a free agent at Fratton Park after the transfer window, is now ready to be involved having built up his match sharpness over the past fortnight.
The 33-year-old former Swedish international provides Mousinho with a much-needed additional centre-half option, and could make his debut should the Blues be looking to see out a win.