‘Impossible not to’: The Portsmouth message as Bolton Wanderers, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday wobble as pressure mounts.

But the Blues boss underlined his team have to get it right themselves, if they are to pull off an unlikely late run into play-off contention.

Mousinho knows his team are relying on others to fall away in the bid to reach the Championship as the season reaches its climax. Pompey are six points off the top six with eight games remaining, ahead of the visit of bottom side Forest Green this weekend.

After some flying form Bolton are winless in four, while sixth-placed Derby have lost their last two ahead of a big game with Ipswich this weekend. At the top, Sheffield Wednesday have fallen off the summit after four games without a win as the pressure mounts.

Mousinho isn’t denying Pompey are keeping a keen eye on developments.

He said: ‘It’s impossible not to look at it, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t look at the other results

‘Ultimately, we’re going to have to rely on other results to get where we want to get to. So, naturally, when we win games we’re going to going into the dressing and flick up the table to see how other sides have done.

‘It shouldn’t be our focus, our focus should be ourselves and winning games, if we do that enough we’ll be fine. I don’t mind if come 5pm we do that and look at the other results, as long as we’re getting the job done first’.

After overseeing an upturn in results with eight wins and three draws from 15 games, Mousinho has invigorated Pompey on the pitch. Bookies’ odds of 12/1 to grab at top six finish reflect it’s still an uphill task, however, over the final five weeks of the campaign. The Blues head coach is pleased his start to management has helped keep the season alive.He added: ‘I’ve had it both ways, I’ve been involved in promotion and play-off races and I’ve been involved at the bottom as well. I guess, over a long career, I’ve had everything in between too.

‘When things peter out, it’s not particularly enjoyable. I remember the seasons fondly where you get to spring time and you’re still involved and there’s something to play for. You get that smell when play-off football is nearly there, it’s really special to be involved in that at the back end of the season.’