It's positive injury news: Portsmouth boss pinpoints Championship return date for luckless summer signing

Unusually, the Blues boss declined to provide an update on the availability of his players ahead of the Luton clash, with question marks over Rob Atkinson, Hayden Matthews, Isaac Hayden, Zak Swanson, Freddie Potts and Mark O’Mahony.

Nonetheless, he has spoken about Williams, who’s been sidelined by a hamstring injury sustained at West Brom last month.

Frustratingly, it has been a stop-start beginning to the Fratton Park career of the summer signing from Barnsley, but he’s now expected to return in March.

And Mousinho has even pencilled Williams in for a potential Leeds return on Sunday, March 9.

He told The News: ‘Jordan is very close to being back, I suspect he will be back for the Leeds game.

‘He’s not back in full training yet, but he’s out running. We will be cautious with him, it will be at least a couple of weeks before he’s back in and ready to be considered for selection.

‘With him injured, at the moment we have two right-backs who complement each other really well and are giving me a headache every week.

Williams’ latest injury set-back was particularly harsh having starred in a man-of-the-match performance in the previous match against Stoke.

Mousinho subsequently opted to rest him along with Josh Murphy, Callum Lang, Freddie Potts and Atkinson for the trip to the Hawthorns, naming the quintet on the bench.

However, after replacing Connor Ogilvie at left-back in the 69th minute, Williams damaged his hamstring, despite Pompey’s precautions.

He has subsequently missed the Blues last sixth matches, with Zak Swanson establishing himself at right-back once more in the 25-year-old’s absence, backed up by Terry Devlin.

Mousinho’s men travel to Championship bottom club Luton on Saturday, seeking to register a fourth straight win.