Portsmouth boss' message to Marcus Harness, Gareth Evans, Brett Pitman and Paul Downing over lack of league minutes

The Pompey boss has delivered a clear message to the men not featuring prominently at present, that they’re going to be needed as the season intensifies.

There are a number of senior players who are finding regular minutes tough to come by at amid the strong form of Jackett’s side.

Players like Gareth Evans, Marcus Harness, Sean Raggett, Brett Pitman and Paul Downing have all found their League One time restricted by varying degrees in recent months.

Jackett can understand frustration at the lack of playing time and has no issues with that, but wants those out of the starting XI prepared to take their chance.

He said: ‘It’s true, it happens, but it suddenly changes.

‘You lose a couple of players in one area and someone else gets a chance.

‘While it can be frustrating for players out of team, within two or three weeks later the picture completely changes.

‘I understand that you may be upset, but be ready.’

Jackett knows it’s a virtual certainty Pompey will pick up injuries in the coming weeks.

The intensity of the Christmas schedule is underlined by the fact the Blues will play seven games in 18 days from the visit of high-flying Ipswich next weekend, through to the EFL Trophy trip to Walsall on January 7 - around a game every two-and-a-half days.

Jackett is aware he’s going to need more than 11 players across such a testing period.

He added: ‘It’s particularly the case in English football and particularly, let’s say, with the amount of games we have coming up now.

‘There’s probably nine games coming up very, very quickly. That’s great but that’s also when you need 18 senior players outfield. They all have to be ready.’