Kenny Jackett hints at Portsmouth new defensive selection after Rasmus Nicolaisen and Jack Whatmough's mixed fortunes

Yet Kenny Jackett has hinted he still sees Jack Whatmough and Sean Raggett as his most effective central-defensive partner.

Nicolaisen has started the last three Blues first-team occasions following Whatmough’s hamstring tear.

However, a poor opening 45 minutes at Plymouth on Monday night from the Danish defender heralded a return off the bench for his fit-again defensive rival.

Whatmough subsequently emerged as one of the Blues’ best performers in the 2-2 draw at Home Park.

And Jackett gave a little indication that the double act with Raggett may now return on a permanent basis – starting with Crewe on Saturday.

He said: ‘I felt that Rasmus was just getting pinned a little bit by (Frank) Nouble and it made it difficult for us down that side.

‘He’ll get used to it and come through that in terms of where English football is.

‘Rasmus will be fine, we go again on Saturday, it’s a good learning curve for him where he’s got a big centre-forward up against him. It was a little too easy going in behind, though.

‘Jack played well when he came on, we will see. It’s a partnership which has played together plenty of times this season, so I was confident of it in the second period to give us more of a platform.

‘Hopefully Jack is okay and fully fit. He wasn’t out very long, which is good, and just a little bit of fatigue with everything.

‘He was back training on Saturday morning, returning quicker than expected.

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‘The back/hamstring injury was maybe a build up of games, because he did recover very quickly.

‘There is no reason why he can’t now go on another run.’

Another withdrawn at half-time against the Pilgrims was Ben Close.

The midfielder has found starts hard to come by this season, with Monday representing his first in seven fixtures.

But he made way for Ellis Harrison, also at the interval, as Jackett attempted to ignite his side following a poor first half.

Jackett added: ‘For Ben, I wanted to get Andy (Cannon) back into the middle of the pitch if we possibly could.

‘It was nothing against his own performance.’

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