Injury woes over Shaun Williams and Jay Mingi deepen as Portsmouth midfield crisis escalates

Pompey’s midfield options remained crippled – with little sign of any cavalry riding over the horizon to the immediate rescue.
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Louis Thompson and Ryan Tunnicliffe are in the frame to face Burton tomorrow night (7.45pm), despite worrying injury records.

The Blues have appealed Joe Morrell’s red card at Oxford United, having discovered an alternative video angle they feel can vindicate the Welshman.

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However, failure would see him suspended for three matches, starting with the visit of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side.

Danny Cowley has, though, recalled Harry Jewitt-White from the Hawks, a loan spell which saw the 17-year-old fail to make the last two squads.

Potentially, the Irishman may have played his last match for the Blues.

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While Jay Mingi remains sidelined with a dislocated shoulder – and unable to take part in contact work on the training pitch at present.

Shaun Williams injury is worse than initially feared, with two fracture vertebrae rather than one. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImagesShaun Williams injury is worse than initially feared, with two fracture vertebrae rather than one. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Shaun Williams injury is worse than initially feared, with two fracture vertebrae rather than one. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

Yet Cowley has vowed to find a way to secure Pompey’s maiden League One win of 2022.

He told The News: ‘We have to find solutions. We had no centre-halves at Gillingham (in November) and kept a clean sheet and won 1-0.

‘I am focused on trying to find solutions with the players we have available and I know we have a really good, honest group that are selfless, will put the team first, and will do whatever the team needs them to do.

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‘We have recalled Harry, but Jay is still a couple of weeks away from fitness and presently in non-contact work.

Pompey have recalled Harry Jewitt-White from his loan spell at the Hawks.Pompey have recalled Harry Jewitt-White from his loan spell at the Hawks.
Pompey have recalled Harry Jewitt-White from his loan spell at the Hawks.

‘With Shaun, he underwent a CAT scan and unfortunately there is also a fracture to the L3 as well L4, which means he has it in both vertebrates.

‘He will see a specialist next week, but we have to let the swelling go down before it’s worth seeing one.

‘The good thing is both fractures seem stable, so we are hopeful there won’t be any surgery. We will know more about a time-frame once the specialist has had a good look.

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‘However, there is the possibility he may still play again this season.

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‘It’s very difficult for us to gauge at the moment. We have seen a lot of injuries involving ankles, knees, hamstrings and groins,

‘You very rarely see fractures in the back, so it is more for specialists to give us an idea of the time-frame.’

In the case of Mingi, the 21-year-old’s push for the first-team squad remains on hold.

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Having excelled on loan at Maidenhead, he last month dislocated his shoulder in training and isn’t yet ready for a Blues return to action.

Cowley added: ‘Jay dislocated his shoulder, but is back on grass, which is good.

‘It is still non-contact, so he can do all the twisting and turning, pretty much everything, but is unable to take throw-ins and make contact.

‘Hopefully in the next week or so we can give him contact work.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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