Pompey handed injury boost

The midfielder was forced off in the second half of the midweek draw with Morecambe after collecting a groin problem.

However, following an assessment by the Blues’ medical team, the injury is not as bad as initially feared.

It puts Linganzi in with a chance of retaining his place for Saturday’s visit of the struggling Railwaymen.

Paul Cook will leave it a little longer before deciding whether the 27-year-old is able to feature in his first-team.

Yet he has been encouraged by the update delivered from the treatment room.

Pompey’s boss said: ‘Amine’s okay, he seems not to be as bad as first thought.

‘It was his groin, Amine asked to come off. It was precautionary, but we will not take any chances.

‘We’ve got a strong squad, with the likes of Danny Rose and Stanley Aborah, while Adam May can be recalled from Sutton.

‘Before Amine’s injury, Noel Hunt was coming on for Eoin, we wanted to make another positive change at the top end of the pitch.

‘Unfortunately for Noel, the substitution then couldn’t happen, but he’s a great pro, he accepted it well.

‘The only other injury at the minute is Curtis Main.’

Should Linganzi not be risked against Crewe, Danny Rose is the obvious choice to step in.

He replaced the ex-Blackburn man for the final 11 minutes against Morecambe as Cook was forced into his third and final substitution.

Rose’s last start was the 1-0 Fratton Park defeat to Exeter on January 28, with Linganzi subsequently replacing him for the last six matches.

Potential rival Aborah turned out for the reserves on Monday night in their 2-1 victory over Everton under-23s in the Premier League Cup.

It represented his first start at any level since November, with the midfielder featuring for 78 minutes before replaced by Jack Whatmough.

However, the former Notts County man is still not considered match fit, an assessment Aborah agrees with.

Elsewhere, Ben Close and Adam May are on loans to National League sides Eastleigh and Sutton United respectively.

However, May is able to be recalled at 24 hour’s notice, if required.

The pair also featured in the reserves’ victory on Monday evening.