Portsmouth ready to implement Plan T to solve fresh selection crisis ahead of Sheffield Wednesday clash

Jordan Archer is in line for a first league start for three-and-a-half years on Friday, should Nicolas Schmid be signed off through concussion protocol.

With Will Norris still sidelined after tweaking the MCL in his left knee, that leaves no-one else available to fulfil a bench role against Sheffield Wednesday (8pm).

However, Mousinho is now preparing to recall Steward from a season-long loan at Tonbridge Angels, who are presently ninth in National League South.

He told The News: ‘We would recall Toby Steward. He’s our player, we’ve got to call him back.

‘We are still assessing Nic, while Will has tweaked the MCL in his left knee and won’t be fit for Friday.

‘We thought Will was going to be fit for Oxford, but we made the decision to leave him out and wanted to play Nico off the back of that, so we selected him.

‘In fairness to Will, he was wanting to do the right thing and play with what was an injury at the time.

‘Off the back of that, when we had that international break and a couple of weeks rest, he got a scan and it showed there was a bit of damage there. The right thing to do is make sure he’s not involved.

‘He’s not training at the moment, he has done some light handling over the last couple days. Hull is a much more likely return than Sheffield Wednesday.’

Steward has been a regular in goal for Tonbridge, making 15 appearances in all competitions and keeping seven clean sheets, including their 1-0 success over Dorking on Tuesday night.

They face Harborough Town in the First Round proper of the FA Cup on November 2, although the teenager now looks likely to instead be required at Fratton Park.

Archer, who was described by Mousinho as the only ‘shining light’ for Pompey in their disappointing 2-0 loss at Cardiff, is on stand-by for a full debut against the Owls on Friday night.

The previous time he was in a league starting XI was during a loan spell with Middlesbrough, when he faced Wycombe in May 2021.

The 31-year-old made 166 appearances for Millwall earlier in his career, during a succesful four-year spell.

As for Schmid, he is presently being assessed by the Blues’ medical department, having complained of blurred vision in one eye following a bang to the head during Cardiff’s second goal on Tuesday night.

He was replaced in the 31st minute of Tuesday night’s match, handing a Pompey debut to Archer after joining on a free transfer in June.