Derby County dealt costly injury blow ahead of Portsmouth trip as John Eustace makes emergency loan admission
Pompey welcome play-off chasing Derby County to Fratton Park on Monday evening.
Derby County have been dealt a costly injury blow over goalkeeper Josh Vickers ahead of Monday’s trip to Pompey.
And head coach John Eustace has explained why the Rams won’t explore the emergency loan market as they prepare for a huge Championship run-in.
The Blues’ survival fight continues to gather pace as they welcome the play-off hopefuls at Fratton Park on Monday.
But they welcome a Derby outfit who will be without first-choice stopper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and his stand-in Vickers, who is set to miss a significant portion of the run-in due to injury.
The 30-year-old sustained a groin issue in the closing stages of their defeat to Millwall on Tuesday, which is expected to keep him sidelined for the next eight weeks.
This opens the door for third-choice keeper Richard O’Donnell, who has featured just twice in the Championship this term, to come into the side.
The 37-year-old is poised to answer Eustace’s goalkeeping SOS for their late-season play-off push, which continues at Fratton Park on Monday evening.
John Eustace provides key Derby injury update ahead of Pompey
And the Rams boss has explained why his side can’t bring in an emergency loan, despite two keepers being sidelined.
Speaking to Derbyshire Live, he said: ‘It's not as bad as what we thought, but it's still going to be six to eight weeks.
‘Initially, we thought that it would be a real, real long one, but I think it's still going to be the majority of the season.
‘It's a big blow for him, but it gives Rich an opportunity now to step up.
‘If something happens to Rich, then we can bring another goalkeeper in, but as long as we've got one senior goalkeeper available, we can't bring an emergency loan in.
‘But we've got full confidence in Rich. He's stepped up already twice this season and been outstanding. With the way he trains and applies himself every day in training, he'll be ready for the remaining amount of games.’
Derby County injury woes
Although Mousinho could have as many as 10 members of his Pompey squad absent for Derby’s visit on Monday, Eustace also has concerns of his own.
The Rams are currently nursing eight injuries, with Vickers becoming the latest to join the treatment room at Pride Park.
Zetterstrom (illness), Danny Batth (unspecified) Sondre Langas (hamstring), Max Johnston (hamstring), Callum Elder (toe), Lars Jorgen-Salvesen (calf), Liam Thompson (calf) are all expected to miss out on the south coast.
The Rams currently sit six points away from the play-offs following Saturday’s results, but are without a win in any of their previous four matches at Fratton Park dating back to 2012.