Fresh set-back for Portsmouth man in injury-ravaged Fratton Park career
The former Liverpool winger has managed just six Championship starts for the Blues
Harvey Blair has suffered yet another set-back in his injury-ravaged season.
The former Liverpool man felt a groin issue during his last two Pompey outings, most recently in the 2-1 defeat to Swansea.
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As a consequence, he has been ruled out of training, while wasn’t included in the Blues squad for last night’s 1-0 home loss to Derby.
It’s the latest blow in a frustrating Fratton Park career to date for the Liverpool winger, who has managed just six Championship starts since joining in August 2024.
Indeed, it represents a fourth lay-off this season, testing the patience of Mousinho, who has previously stressed the importance of the youngster remaining injury free if he wants to impact the first-team more.
Now he’s expected to remain on the sidelines until after the international break.
‘He’s one of those that’s day-to-day’
Mousinho told The News: ‘Harvey felt his groin in the Blackburn game, then he played against Swansea. But he has now come out.
‘He’s not training, he’s one of those that’s day to day. He’s probably doubtful for the weekend against QPR.
‘We’ve spoken about the importance of Harvey staying fit - and unfortunately that’s another thing he has picked up.’
Blair was just four games into his latest comeback from injury, having damaged his hip flexor in January’s FA Cup third-round clash with Arsenal.
The attacker was forced off in the 40th minute of the 4-1 defeat and was sidelined for the subsequent seven Championship matches for the Blues.
After returning as an unused substitute at Millwall last month, he started the 1-0 defeat to Hull, while was introduced off the bench in three other matches.
Out until next month
Now it may not be until the Good Friday trip to Norwich on April 2 before Blair is able to be considered for first-team duty.
Fellow casualty Keshi Anderson has also been pencilled in for a comeback in that Carrow Road trip, having been absent since January with a hamstring injury.
In the case of Blair, he started the season nursing the hamstring he tore against Hull in the final match of last term.
After returning for two matches in October, he felt soreness in his hamstring once more, ruling him out for another two months.
With Pompey struggling with wing options, Blair found himself back into the side around the Christmas period, starting in successive home fixtures against QPR and Charlton.
Then he was named in the line-up for Arsenal’s visit to Fratton - only to be forced off in the first half of the FA Cup clash.
Now he has suffered a fresh set-back, joining fellow attackers Anderson, Josh Murphy, Florian Bianchini and Franco Umeh on the treatment table.