Portsmouth boss ready to end ex-Bristol City man's 'really, really unlucky' first-team absence - with likely return against Fulham

Yet the youngster will return against Fulham Under-21s as the Blues’ head coach rotates a defence which has kept three successive clean sheets in his absence.

Towler is expected to partner Sean Raggett at centre-half for Pompey’s opening group game in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

The former Bristol City man hasn’t featured since the 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the campaign, while failed to make the last three squads.

Instead Conor Shaughnessy has been preferred as the left-sided central defender in the subsequent four matches.

However, Towler will have the opportunity to impress against the Cottagers, with Mousinho seeking to utilise his sizeable squad.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Conor (Shaughnessy) has been excellent, and, for me, was man of the match against Leyton Orient. I can't think of any criticism for him, he has been really good.

‘It’s a good challenge for Ryley – but means nothing in terms of our long-term development plan for him because we still hold him in high regard.

‘To be honest, he can count himself really, really unlucky. He came out of the side having played pretty well and Conor took advantage at Forest Green then subsequently the league side.

‘We have that competition in the squad and it's a really difficult thing for players to deal with when they find themselves out of the side, but we want them to deal with that in the right and positive way, knuckling down and proving to me they can get back into the side.

‘Ryler is in contention against Fulham, like the entire squad, and the likelihood is we will freshen things up.

‘Given the fact we have that strength in depth, as we showed against Forest Green, we are lucky to be able to make quite a few changes.’

Towler made 20 appearances and scored twice in the second half of last season as he proved an instant Pompey hit

Signed from Bristol City in January following an eye-catching AFC Wimbledon loan spell, he swiftly settled into life at Fratton Park.

Now he finds himself out of the starting XI, although defensively Pompey have proven excellent so far this term.

In League One alone, it is currently 336 minutes without conceding, primarily with Shaughnessy and Regan Poole at centre-half.

Mousinho added: ‘The fact we have played four league games and only conceded one goal is really pleasing, of course.

‘The other side of that is we don’t believe we are sacrificing anything going forward by keeping those clean sheets. We don’t think we’re being negative,

‘In fact it’s the opposite, clean sheets have come about from being positive, being on the front foot, keeping sides away from our goal.’