Latest injury news on key duo ahead of Bristol City game on Saturday

John Mousinho has provided an update on Josh Murphy and Regan Poole in the build-up to Saturday’s Championship trip to Bristol City.

But while he was able to deliver good news on the latter’s injury situation, the former’s ongoing battle for fitness is proving more problematic.

The Blues are expected to welcome centre-back Poole back to their ranks for the game at Ashton Gate, after he sat out last weekend’s win against former club Lincoln City with a hamstring issue.

Yet a timetable around Murphy’s potential return appears less clear cut.

The winger was forced off with a groin complaint at Sincil Bank, just 17 minutes after his second-half introduction as a substitute.

His brief outing represented the 31-year-old’s second match involvement of the season, having made his comeback from groin surgery as a sub in the Fratton Park defeat to QPR a week earlier.

However, issues clearly remain regarding his fitness - something Mousinho said needed further clarification and which would mean Murphy sits out the much-anticipated Bristol City game.

When asked about the former Cardiff forward’s availability ahead of the fixture during his pre-match press conference, the Blues head coach said: ‘Murph’s okay. We’re just waiting to see the full extent of it, but I don’t think he’ll be available for the weekend’.

Murphy has featured just four times for Pompey since mid-December due to various injury issues, including a foot fracture.

On the other hand, Poole has been a near ever-present for the Blues ever since making his comeback from an ACL injury in September 2024.

That made his unavailability for the game against the Imps a surprise, with Mousinho later admitting the 28-year-old had been nursing a slight hamstring injury.

Yet it won’t be long before the Welshman is back in contention, with the game against the Robins pencilled him for Poole’s return.

‘Regan was training today (Wednesday), so I expect him to be available,’ said Mousinho.

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