The latest news on Pompey’s key winger, who has missed the past four Championship games with an ankle injury.

John Mousinho has stated Josh Murphy will miss the trip to Leicester City with his ankle injury.

And the Pompey boss has highlighted next week’s Fratton Park clash with Stoke City, as the game when the key man will be back in action.

Mousinho has updated supporters on the situation with Murphy, with the head coach ruling the winger out of Saturday’s trip to the King Power Stadium.

The head coach stated the 30-year-old is expected back in training this week, but Pompey don’t want to run the risk of a setback for Murphy at this stage of the season.

He said this afternoon: ‘We’re still monitoring Murph’s situation, he’s okay.

‘We’ve been very, very cautious and that will be the case for next week or so.

‘It will most likely be Stoke for him rather than Leicester or Coventry. That will give him an extra week’s training.

‘At this stage for Murph’s it’s more about getting it right, whereas before it was looking as we went and saying it’s touch and go.

‘Now we need to get him back and make sure he’s not exposed to further injury.

‘It’s dragged on longer than we’ve hoped, but we expect him to train this Friday and give him a good week to get back for Stoke.’

Murphy has missed four games with the ankle issue, keeping him out of the clashes with Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich, Watford and Middlesbrough.

The 30-year-old was also absent for the Championship opener at Oxford United with the issue, but returned to get four games under his belt up to the south-coast derby clash with Southampton on September 14.

Murphy, of course, remains a central figure in Mousinho’s squad after an outstanding maiden campaign at Fratton Park, delivering 21 goals contributions and picking up a swathe of the player of the season plaudits.