'Better than we originally thought' - Midfielder hands Portsmouth welcome injury boost
Pompey midfielder Andre Dozzell has provided Pompey with some encouraging injury news.
Pompey have been handed some encouraging news on the injury front.
Saturday’s game against Millwall saw John Mousinho’s side take to The Den pitch without 12 first-team players, who were all absent through injury.
The Blues welcomed back Harvey Blair for the first time since their FA Cup defeat to Arsenal last month, while youngster Reuben Swann found himself drafted onto the bench following his loan recall from non-league neighbours Havant & Waterlooville.
Their numbers are due to be swelled against next week when defensive duo Conor Shaughnessy and Hayden Matthews are expected to be in contention to feature against Hull City next weekend.
Now Andre Dozzell - who was injured in last Saturday’s defeat against Sheff United - could be back sooner than expected.
The midfielder limped off against the Blades on 80 minutes after turning his nakle. The Blues feared the worst and even anticipated him perhaps sitting out the rest of the season alongside Mark Kosznovszky, Franco Umeh and Aji Alese.
However, following the results of a scan, the former Ipswich man could be back within four weeks - and potentially against his another one of his former clubs, QPR, on March 21.
Andre Dozzell injury latest
Providing the latest on the 26-year-old, Mousinho said: ‘Doz isn’t too bad. We’re hoping to have him back in four weeks - so it’s better than what we originally thought. We thought at one point it might be season-ending.’
Mousinho also gave an update on fellow midfielder Ebou Adams after he required treatment in the 79th minute against Millwall.
Seeing him drop to the turf proved nervous for all. So to see the influential January signing back on his feet and on the pitch minutes later was a huge relief.
The Pompey boss said the former Derby man wouldn’t have been allowed back on if there were concerns over his fitness.
‘We would have taken him off if there were any concerns. I thnk he just slipped,’ said Mousinho.
In Dozzell’s absence, the Blues have lined up with Adams and Marlon Pack in their engine room - a combination that has helped then win back-to-back games for the first time this season.