Well-regarded Portsmouth pair pencilled in for March returns to boost promotion run-in

John Mousinho is pencilling in two of his Pompey casualties for March first-team comebacks.

Tino Anjorin, who was at Fratton Park on New Year’s Day watching the Stevenage victory, is expected to return from his Chelsea rehabilitation in mid-February.

However, the Blues are prepared to be ‘cautious’ over the Chelsea loanee and will seek to ease him back into action rather than risk a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Zak Swanson will this week undergo surgery to resolve his groin issue, potentially ruling him out for up to eight weeks.

The time frame can, of course, alter, yet Mousinho is confident of having both at his disposal for the League One promotion run-in.

He told The News: ‘Tino came and spoke to us in the office before the game (Stevenage) and we’re looking at about six weeks for him to be back in training.

‘Then we’ve probably got to be a bit cautious with him. It was quite a significant injury, so if we can get him back into the building mid-February then that’s a pretty good result.

‘He’s still rehabbing at Chelsea, but came to watch us. It’s the first time I’ve seen him since returning to Chelsea, but we have spoken a couple of times.

‘If he’s back here training by mid-February, hopefully if we can then get eight weeks out of Tino then we’ll be in a good spot.

‘We know how good Tino is, it will be like having a free transfer in early March time, which obviously you don't get a huge amount of. 

‘One of the frustrating things about going into that Chesterfield game was he was superb against Reading, got his goal, and then probably our brightest spark for the first 30 minutes against Chesterfield.

‘I thought we had managed him pretty well up to that point, getting him into a good spot - then he obviously picked up an injury.

‘If we can get him back and anywhere near that form towards the back end of his spell here at Pompey, then we’ll have a real bonus.’

Anjorin has so far missed 10 matches since damaging his hamstring in the first half of the FA Cup defeat at Chesterfield.

Meanwhile, Swanson has been sidelined since forced off in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy loss against AFC Wimbledon last month.

Yet the right-back is scheduled to undergo an operation to resolve his latest injury set-back.

Mousinho added: ‘Zak’s booked in for an operation during the next week, so will be out for 6-8 weeks.

‘It’s obviously a blow to us, he has done well whenever called upon.’