The Portsmouth play-off message as Peterborough, Shrewsbury and Wycombe span gap to Bolton Wanderers in top six

But the Pompey boss is determined to see his side keep the season alive for as long as possible with 10 games to go.

Many Blues fans have long since written off the chances of their team achieving a top-six finish this season.

After 13 games in charge, Mousinho has averaged a return of just shy of two points per game in a positive opening as head coach.

Continuing that over the final 10 matches across a fairly favourable run-in would see Pompey hit 74 points - the average needed to secure a top-six finish over the past 20 seasons.

Mousinho feels the quality at the top and sides between Pompey and Bolton in sixth place, could push that number higher, however.

He said: ‘I haven’t really thought about it too much, but I tend to agree that because of the strength of the sides in the top six and those between us and the top six, we may have to do a bit more than that (get 74 points).

‘There’s Wycombe, Peterborough and Shrewsbury.

‘Peterborough are capable of absolutely anything. Wycombe have had a really solid season and Shrewsbury’s season has probably surpassed everyone’s expectations, with some really good results and really brilliant form in the league.

‘It’s not a terrible thing for the fans to look at, though, and even the players if they think it’s something we can maybe keep half an eye on.

‘I do take it game by game and Bristol Rovers is next. If we win there we can sit here next week, and look at where we are going into the back end of the season.’

Mousinho has taken satisfaction that a positive opening to his tenure as head coach means the top six is not totally out of reach - in his eyes.

He added: ‘We’re still quite a way off, but maybe not completely out of it.

‘That’s quite a nice thing, and the longer we sustain that the better.

‘We want to keep the season alive, and that’s what the last 13 games have afforded us - keeping the season alive.

‘Even when we lost two games in a week it still felt like there was plenty of games to go.

‘As long as there’s half a chance we’ll keep going - and after that we’ll keep going as well!’