Portsmouth boss addresses Sean Raggett's Fratton future - and hints at permanent switch for Manchester United loanee

And he revealed the necessity to see Di’Shon Bernard in his natural right-sided centre-half position was behind the decision ahead of a potential summer move.

Pompey are weighing up recruiting the Manchester United defender at the season’s end as they eye a squad overhaul.

However, none of the 22-year-old’s previous six appearances in the Blues’ defence had been on the right-hand side of the centre of defence.

That prompted Mousinho to drop Raggett to make way, with Ryley Towler recalled to take Bernard’s place on the left for the 1-0 win.

And Pompey’s head coach is adamant that does not mean Raggett’s days are numbered.

He told The News: ‘If we weren’t considering anything for Di’Shon in the future, I don’t think we would bother having a look at it on Saturday.

‘Certainly that’s the rationale behind looking at him in that position on Saturday. At the moment the focus is on winning games – but with one eye on the future and individuals.

‘Sean has played every minute of every game since I came in three months ago and I spoke to him on Friday about it.

‘I told him you are here next season, I know exactly what I have got from you, I know everything about you as a footballer – and for this game we’re going to have a look at Di’Shon.

‘We’ll see what that actually looks like for the rest of the season as well, but I just felt it suited Di’Shon this time.

‘There’s no problem at all with Sean, his performances have been excellent. He has taken everything on board defensively and going forward, in terms of how we are trying to play.

‘That has probably taken him out of his comfort zone, but he has done really well at that and we’re really, really pleased with Sean and he is a player who is contracted for next season.

‘He took that fine, he understands it, he’s a mature young man and gets the situation completely, he’s absolutely fine.’

Raggett had previously missed just one Pompey league match this season, when he was on the bench for a 2-0 home defeat to MK Dons in December.

Ultimately, on Saturday, he came on in the 89th minute for Paddy Lane, representing his 57th outing of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Mousinho was impressed with how Bernard fared in his second successive Blues start.

He added: ‘Di’Shon has played right-back twice for us and started as the left-sided centre-half at MK Dons and Oxford, but they are not actually this positions.

‘We want to encourage him to keep driving out from the back and you saw that particularly in the second half, where he has that physical capability.

‘Doing it on the right-side is a bit more comfortable for Di’Shon.’