The Pompey coach, though, doesn’t see any situations that would allow him to choose any of the other six first-team players who were forced to miss Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough due to illness or injury.

Among them are Regan Poole (ACL), Josh Murphy (ankle), Tom McIntyre (hamstring), Jacob Farrell (knee), Tom Lowery (hamstring), and, of course, Colby Bishop, who just had heart surgery. Gavin Whyte was left off of the Riverside Stadium tour roster.

Sammy Silvera, a loanee, will be eligible after missing the match against his parent team. After arriving earlier this week, fresh additions Freddie Potts and Mark O’Mahony are both expected to play against the Black Cats.

With teenager Harry Clout scheduled to start on the bench against Boro for the second week in a row, it provides Mousinho with some much-needed options ahead of his team’s penultimate game before the international break.

Although centre-back Shaughnessy is expected to play against the undefeated Championship table-toppers of Regis Le Bris on Saturday, McIntyre, Farrell, Lowery, and Murphy should aim for the West Brom match on September 15.

Mousinho stated prior to the Sunderland game: “He (Shaughnessy) is fine.” Shaughs’s recuperation from the sickness that sidelined him has been rapid. He has received a few bumps and bruises, but we anticipate his return for the weekend.

“I don’t think anyone else is going to be back in contention for the weekend,” the head coach continued. It will come much too quickly.

Since we only have two weeks after Sunderland to put everyone in a genuinely strong position, we must be realistic in our attitude to the situation.

“With players like Josh Murphy, Jacob Farrell, and Tom McIntyre, who should all be back in time for that West Brom game, we don’t want to hold them back just for the sake of it. It’s wise to give them that extra bit of breathing space.”

Since none of them have been training thus far, we’ll probably move them outside (to the grass) over the weekend.

In addition, Mousinho gave an update on Poole’s recovery from the ACL injury he sustained in the FA Cup in November against Chesterfield.

“Regan has been back in training; I believe he has completed about a full week’s worth of training,” he stated.

Because of the extent and duration of the injury, as well as the necessity to ensure that he is strong elsewhere and not just in his knee (which is great), I continue to believe that he will be unavailable for selection for four to five weeks.

GET MORE NEWS HERE