Portsmouth boss' Jack Sparkes admission as he weighs up changes for League One leaders

The former Exeter man has rattled up four assists in his last six Pompey appearances to establish himself as a pivotal member of the league leaders’ side.

He even managed to hold off the injury return of Connor Ogilvie to retain the left-back spot for Saturday’s visit of Carlisle – and supplied the stoppage-time corner headed home by Connor Shaughnessy for the winner.

Accommodating both Sparkes and Ogilvie in the same starting XI appears an impossible task for Mousinho as they prepare for Cambridge United on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

Nonetheless, the Blues’ head coach has revealed he is open to moving Sparkes further upfield to a left-wing role.

And, having started there at Stevenage in August, coupled with fleeting appearances off the bench in the position against Peterborough, Exeter and Cheltenham, he believes the summer signing can shine there.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Anthony (Scully) started the season on the left wing, Abu has done brilliantly well when he has come and we’ve even played Jack there as well.

‘I want players that are flexible and can play multiple positions and, these days, a lot of attributes you see as a left-back do transfer. We want players that are attacking and can go forward.

‘I believe Jack can play on the left wing. We started him there against Stevenage and although he didn’t have the greatest of games that day, we threw him in when probably the side wasn’t playing quite as well as we’ve seen in recent weeks.

‘It was quite a tough game for him, he did okay, he didn't do anything wrong, but the contrast between then and now is chalk and cheese and I don’t think that’s a positional thing.

‘That’s also a bit of confidence with Jack, he’s got himself going, if you played him left midfield now he would do a really good job there too.’

Ogilvie has been Pompey’s first-choice left-back for more than two years.

However, he has managed just one assist since laying on two in a 3-1 win at Crewe in March 2022.

That arrived at Shrewsbury in April when his far-post header was nodded over the line by Marlon Pack for a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Mousinho added: ‘You can play Connor anywhere, he would fit in because he’s such an excellent player.

‘His attributes are much more suited to being a left-back – and he is such a superb consistent left-back that I think it's the perfect position for him.

‘Jack is naturally a bit more attacking and that’s why sometimes we have found him coming off the bench on the left-hand side of midfield. He is naturally a better fit to go and play there.’