Why Portsmouth boss now has heartfelt belief side can fight with Derby County, Stoke City & Co for Championship survival

And the Blues boss has explained the thinking behind an invigorated conviction in his players being able to make a fist of staying up this season.

Pompey return to league action with a stiff test of their credentials at Sheffield United on Saturday, their first outing since the close of the winter transfer window on Monday night.

After eight arrivals this month, Mousinho feels he now has the depth to his options he’s evidently been short of across this term. The reticence to make subs until later in games has been a clear sign the head coach hasn’t necessarily felt that was the case across the first half of the campaign.

The fact Pompey have reached that point outside of the Championship’s bottom three is unequivocal evidence they have been able to compete at the level, since stepping up to the second tier.

There may have been rivals spending big in the transfer window, but Mousinho is keen to look at his own set-up’s situation. The fact they have now strengthened a group who were already getting stronger this term, is cause for optimism in the 38-year-old’s book.

Mousinho said: ‘If you look at where we are right now as a football club, I know we’ve had some of these players through January, but we are fifth bottom and three points above the relegation zone.

‘We’re in a position where we can definitely fight to stay in the league. There’s no doubt about that, that’s just where we are factually.

‘This season regardless of all the injuries and who we have or haven’t brought in, we’ve had enough to compete. Now we’ve strengthened on top of that.

Confident

‘So, yes, we’re competing with other sides who’ve done the same, but if you just look at Portsmouth and where we are now I do think we can compete and we can definitely make a fist of our ultimate goal - which is to survive at the level this season.

‘I feel really confident we can do that.

‘There is a huge amount of work to do, there’s a long way to go and we’re competing against some really good sides down there. They probably feel the same way as we do in terms of investment, but I feel comfortable about it.’