Portsmouth boss’ Ebou Adams injury update as he admits Middlesbrough return target for midfielder
Ebou Adams was sidelined against QPR with Leicester City slated for his return date, though John Mousinho has acknowledged Pompey did have hopes of an earlier comeback.
John Mousinho has admitted Pompey were aiming for a surprise Ebou Adams injury return at Middlesbrough.
But the Blues boss has confirmed the key midfielder will not be ready to make a comeback at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.
Pompey boss admits Boro was soft target for Adams return
Mousinho’s men take their next step in the battle for Championship survival tomorrow, as they make the longest trip of the season for the clash with the promotion chasers.
The challenge is to remain outside of the bottom three at a critical moment in the campaign, with a single point the gap with six games remaining.
The presence of Adams would be a huge fillip in that quest, with the £500,000 January arrival a standout performer since his move to PO4 from Derby County.
The 30-year-old has been sidelined with a knee injury picked up in the 6-1 thrashing at QPR last month, with the problem keeping Adams out for the Easter fixtures against Norwich City and Oxford United.
The meeting with Leicester City on April 18 has been the date slated for the former Cardiff City man’s return, though Mousinho did state Middlesbrough was a target last week before correcting himself when addressing the press.
The Pompey boss has now acknowledged there were quiet hopes of Adams being back for the meeting with Kim Hellberg’s side - though the club have now been forced to accept that ambition as unrealistic.
Mousinho told The News: ‘It’s the same situation with Ebou. If we were ready to play him we’d bring him back before the Leicester game.
‘We were umming and ahhing about the Middlesbrough game, but it’s just come too soon for him. So we’ll have him for Leicester.’
Elsewhere, Pompey have two long-term injury absences returning to selection contention this weekend.
Double injury return for Middlesbrough
Striker Thomas Waddingham has been missing since August, after having his season decimated by quad injury.
And Josh Knight has been missing since November with a back stress fracture, following his summer arrival from German outfit Hannover 96.
Mousinho confirmed the double boost at his press conference this week.
He added: ‘Wadds is due to be back at the weekend so that’ll be another return that we have from Monday.
‘Josh is fit. He’s training with us, he’s been training for about a week. He’s available, Josh is available (for Middlesbrough).’