'Dead on his feet after 25 minutes': But Portsmouth boss believes Hillsborough display can be making of ex-Liverpool man
Harvey Blair was ‘dead on his feet’ after 25 minutes, according to John Mousinho.
But Pompey’s head coach believes the youngster’s goal-scoring entrance has the capability of igniting his Fratton Park career.
The 21-year-old was surprisingly handed the second start of his Blues career in Saturday’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday as one of five changes.
The former Liverpool winger responded by converting Josh Murphy’s left-wing cross to level on 23 minutes with his first senior goal as the game finished 1-1.
A shattered Blair had to be replaced on 59 minutes, yet his 11th Pompey outing was comfortably the most impressive during his stay so far.
Mousinho told The News: ‘Harvey’s a great kid. He’s learned very, very quickly this season what it takes to be a professional footballer, something it’s the hard way.
‘He's had limited opportunities, sometimes through injury, sometimes through selection, and we wanted to get him into the side against Sheffield Wednesday to see what he was capable of.
‘Harvey’s performance should give him a lot of confidence in terms of what he is able to produce and the fact he is able to score. These are things he needs to get better at because I thought he blew up after 25 minutes and looked dead on his feet.
‘I have no issue with that because he hasn’t been involved in games or playing anywhere near this level of intensity, so it’s a really good lesson for him. He was shattered, that’s why we brought him off, but he’s fine.
‘It’s incredibly difficult to sustain the way we want to play - and against a side like Sheffield Wednesday who wanted to play. It wasn’t a game where the physical stats are low.
‘We had to work from side-to-side incredibly hard and that makes it difficult for players that just don’t get match fitness other than playing.’
Blair had been selected at Hillsborough in place of Matt Ritchie, who dropped to the bench and was unused for the duration of the draw.
Instead Kaide Gordon, a former Liverpool Academy team-mate of Blair, was chosen to replace him on the right-hand side of midfield shortly before the hour mark.
Hull - who occupy the final relegation spot - visit Fratton Park next Saturday (12.30pm), with the possibility of Blair making his maiden home start in the fixture.
Mousinho added: ‘Well done, good stuff, if you want to be like Josh Murphy then you have to be able to put that together for 40 games consistency and more 90-100 minutes.
‘He’s got a very, very similar frame and physique to Murph, who has been one of the outstanding players this season. That’s the level he has got to get to.’
Your Next Pompey Read: Pompey boss allays injury fears after Conor Shaughnessy withdrawal