Portsmouth handed injury blow as defender set to miss huge game v Oxford United at Fratton Park
Zak Swanson has started 27 games in the league for Pompey this season
Zak Swanson’s absence for Friday’s game against Norwich City has been revealed.
And it’s yet another injury issue for John Mousinho to navigate.
The defender, who has featured 30 times for the Blues in the Championship this season, was not in the match-day squad for the draw at Carrow Road - nor did he travel with the group to Norfolk.
Instead, he remained on the south coast, nursing a knee injury sustained in training during the international break.
It’s only the second game the former Arsenal youngster has missed since the beginning of November, with the 25-year-old featuring in 26 of Pompey’s past 28 games.
Yet, he’ll stretch that record to three games within the space of four days, with head coach John Mousinho ruling Swanson out of Monday’s Fratton Park game against Oxford United.
That will come as a big blow to the Blues, who have relied heavily on the defender’s impressive form this season.
Indeed, a large chunk of his season has been played at left-back, as Pompey coped without Conor Ogilvie and then him being utilised at centre-back following his return from injury.
Confirming the news about Swanson, Mousinho said: ‘Zak felt his knee in training, so we’re just getting an opinion on it.
‘I don’t think it’s going to be too bad, but we just have to be cautious on it.’
When asked if he would be fit to play against the U’s, Mousinho responded: ‘I don’t think so.’
In Swanson’s absence at Carrow Road, Ogilvie reverted back to left-back duties, with Jojo Dia playing at centre-back.