Coventry v Portsmouth: 13 players could now miss out in Championship clash
Portsmouth are looking to get back to winning ways as they prepare to face Coventry City on Wednesday night.
John Mousinho’s side have been inconsistent throughout the campaign so far and despite returning from the international break to beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0, Pompey were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline against Millwall on Saturday (5 April).
This leaves Portsmouth sitting 17th in the Championship table, three points clear of the relegation zone.
A trip to Coventry is no easy task with the Sky Blues having upped their standards under the management of Frank Lampard in their quest for a play-off place.
However, losses to top-of-the-table sides Sheffield United and Burnley in recent weeks means Lampard’s men come into this game in losing form.
Sitting seventh in the league, just one point from the top six though, Coventry will be eager to get back on track on home turf.
Pompey have shown their ability to win these games before though, but Mousinho’s men have to be in top form to get a result.
Mousinho has selection headache
Portsmouth have not been particularly lucky with injuries throughout the season so far and that does not change coming into this game.
Paddy Lane had made 22 league appearances for Mousinho this season before he was ruled out for the rest of the campaign after sustaining an injury against Blackburn in January.
Lane is not the only one out for the rest of the season, though, with Hayden Matthews, Callum Lang, Jacob Farrell and Ibane Bowat also expected to return to fitness in pre-season.
This has been a big blow for the South Coast team and recent woes have added to the list of players receiving treatment and therefore missing the game against Coventry.
| Team | Position | Goal Difference | Points |
| Coventry City | 7 | 4 | 59 |
| Portsmouth | 17 | -15 | 45 |
Rob Atkinson picked up a calf injury in February but is going to be returning to training this week which should put him on a steady path for a return to fitness.
Conor Shaughnessy is expected to return to training next week, although Mousinho won’t be keen to risk rushing the centre-back in his recovery, and he is likely to only be in the team if fully fit and needed.
Zak Swanson had to miss out against Millwall on Saturday but isn’t a long absentee, meaning he may be available for selection soon though the trip to Coventry is too soon.
Some good news for the boss, though, is that Mark O’Mahony should be available to feature for the Blues on Wednesday.
Lampard facing injury issues too
Portsmouth will feel as though they have been dealt some torrid luck with injuries this season and their injury list is certainly a long one.
However, Lampard is set to be without a number of faces too which could boost the chances of Mousinho’s side.
Brandon Thomas-Asante is set to be absent from the game against Portsmouth, which will be a loss for the Sky Blues given he has been a mainstay, making 33 appearances in the league this season.
Oliver Dovin sustained an ACL injury which will rule him out for the rest of the season, while Josh Eccles will also not be facing Pompey with the game too soon in his recovery.
Norman Bassette picked up a knock in injury and it’s not yet known if he will be available to feature against Portsmouth.
Mousinho will be hoping the answer is no given the forward scored one of his two goals for the season in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.