Second-half goals from Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie moved the Blues nine points clear of the relegation zone as the Fratton Park outfit recorded a third-straight win for the first time this season.
But at the final whistle there were concerns that victory came at a heavy price, with Rob Atkinson, Isaac Hayden, Zak Swanson and Hayden Matthews all struggling at different parts of the game.
Indeed, Atkinson was substituted on 39 minutes and swapped for Regan Poole as he fell to the ground feeling his calf; Swanson and Hayden were replaced by Terry Devlin and Marlon Pack respectively just after the hour mark as they looked in discomfort; while £1.2m centre-back Matthews was forced to play the dying minutes of the game up front after suffering a leg injury while challenging for the ball.
It all comes after Callum Lang this week joined Ibane Bowat, Jacob Farrell and Paddy Lane on the ‘out-for-the-rest-of-the-season list’ and while Conor Shaughnessy and Jordan Williams continue their respective rehabs from hamstring troubles.
On-loan Brighton striker Mark O’Mahony also sat out the visit of QPR with an injury picked up in training as Pompey’s injury concerns persist.
And with Pompey next in action on Saturday, March 1, with an away date at bottom-of-the-table Luton, Mousinho provided the latest on his walking wounded as Pompey;s luck with injuries shows now sign of improving.
‘It was one of those where he felt there wasn’t any particular moment, but he’s felt it.
‘It’s one of those that’s really frustrating for Rob because he’s got through game after game after game, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. We’ve obviously had the free week this week, so he’s picked that up and we’ll deal with that one.’
Isaac Hayden
‘Isaac came off as a precaution. We decided to make that sub at that point. Isaac wasn’t 100 percent. He said he could carry on, but because we’d already made the sub in the first half, I didn’t really want to risk anything.’
Zak Swanson
‘Swany was feeling a bit fatigued as well, just hamstring fatigue. So it was a precaution. So those two (Swanson and Hayden) are fine.’
‘Hayden, I don’t know. I think he’s taken a heavy challenge, so that one you can probably see as more of a concern. So the two centre-halves are the ones we have to keep an eye on.’
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