Portsmouth boss weighing up first-team pathway for hugely influential pair after welcome comeback
Josh Murphy has made six appearances for the Blues since December 20, 2025
John Mousinho is plotting the extent of Josh Murphy and Conor Shaughnessy’s first-team involvement after their long-awaited comebacks.
The talented duo both returned to Pompey’s squad at Burnley, having been sidelined by injury - unfortunately a familiar problem in recent seasons.
While Shaughnessy, who has been out since September, was an unused substitute as Regan Poole and Madiodio Dia continue to thrive as the centre-half pairing.
The Blues now face Swansea at Fratton Park tomorrow night (7.45pm), with Mousinho weighing up whether Murphy and Shaughnessy are ready to be risked just 72 hours later.
‘We won’t overall risk anything’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘It’s brilliant to have the pair of them back, they got through training last week.
‘Murph got the minutes on Saturday, 18 minutes was all we could give him. I thought he looked sharp and created that opportunity at the back end of the game.
‘We chucked Murph on in a really, really difficult game. I know he’s very experienced, he’s a brilliant player who has been in the Premier League, but up against Kyle Walker he did very, very well.
‘To also have Shocks back, providing that competition, is pleasing as well. We don’t need to rest Shocks for Swansea, he didn’t play against Burnley, so he will be fine. He did the equivalent of what we’d have done in a training session on a Saturday.
‘With Murph, it entirely depends on how he settles down after the game, but we won’t overall risk anything.
‘We have a bit of breathing space with Murph because we won’t have to make a decision on whether he starts or not, but we will definitely make a decision on whether he is available.’
Murphy’s third appearance this season
Shaughnessy had made seven appearances until sustaining a groin injury in the second half of a 2-2 draw against Blackburn at Fratton Park.
He has since missed five matches, plus was on the bench at Burnley, with replacement Poole enjoying the best form of his Pompey career, according to Mousinho.
Meanwhile, Murphy was forced to undergo yet another groin operation in August after coming off injured in the 3-1 victory at Lincoln.
Saturday's comeback represented the influential winger’s third outing this term - all off the bench - and only his sixth since December 2025.
His long-anticipated return to fitness will ramp up the competition for Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Abu Kamara, who are currently first choice in the wing positions.
Mousinho added: ‘We are being careful with all of the players with the tough schedules and tough fixtures.
‘We went away to Burnley, travelled back that night and then there’s a game again on Tuesday. We will just have to assess how everyone is on Monday.’
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