Portsmouth reveal welcome injury boost for influential defender in fresh update
The former Leeds man has started seven of the Blues' eight matches this season, scoring once
Pompey have delivered an encouraging injury update over Conor Shaughnessy.
Although Rich Hughes believes the Irishman’s groin injury will still keep him out of the south-coast derby.
However, the problem isn’t as bad as initially feared, with the 30-year-old already back out on grass at the training ground.
Speaking to The News this afternoon, Hughes has revealed the centre-half will be back in first-team action in a ‘not too long period of time’.
Although Pompey’s sporting director views the trip to St Mary’s on October 11 as too early for Shaughnessy to make his comeback.
‘Probably not Southampton, but not too far after that’
Hughes told The News: ‘Shocks is fine. He’s been in through the first week, he has been recovering, he has been out on the grass.
‘We are hopeful he will be back with the group in a not too long period of time. Probably not Southampton, but not too far after that.
‘He’s been having treatment, he has been through rehab, hopefully we’ll get him back as quickly as we can.
‘This is slightly different to the issues he has faced in the past, so it will be nice to have him back with us when he is ready to do so.’
Started seven of Portsmouth’s matches this season
Shaughnessy has started seven of Pompey’s eight matches so far this season and ahead of his set-back had been building up some fine form.
His sole absence was the midweek defeat to Derby earlier this month, when John Mousinho opted to rest the former Leeds man after an injury-wrecked previous two seasons.
Regardless, Shaughnessy still collected a groin problem against Blackburn and was replaced in the centre of defence by Regan Poole.
With Benji Arthur expected to be absent for up to four months following a back fracture, the blow of also losing Shaughnessy couldn’t have been timed any worse.
That leaves Poole and Madiodio Dia as Pompey’s only fit centre-halves - and likely to be the partnership facing Southampton in the forthcoming south-coast derby.
Fellow central defenders Hayden Matthews and Josh Knight are presently on season-long loans at Bradford and Reading respectively, with no option of a recall until January.
Frustratingly, neither has yet featured in a League One for their respective clubs, with Knight still to make a match-day squad for the Royals in any competition.
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