Tom Naylor may be unavailable for Portsmouth’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton due to injury, as reported by the club’s official website.
The Pompey captain has a 50/50 chance of being able to play, having picked up contact injuries to the calf and thigh during the 1-0 loss to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, though he did manage to finish the game.
Ellis Harrison will miss the derby having been sent off against Wycombe, while Marcus Harness and Lee Brown are both expected to be unavailable due to injury.
Naylor has been an integral part of the Pompey team this season, starting all 10 of the matches the club has played so far this season.
He has been an effective defensive player, as in the league he has averaged 2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and 0.4 blocks per game.
The 28-year-old also scored the second and final goal of the 2-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers with an instinctive finish, as shown in the highlights video on the Portsmouth FC YouTube channel.
It will be a blow to not have Naylor available for the match, especially as he has been such an influential player, while he would also be an experienced head for what will likely be an intense match.
However, Portsmouth certainly still have a chance of coming out with the victory, as they have the home advantage, while we have already seen a League One side knock out a Premier League outfit, when Sunderland overcame Burnley in the last round.
Portsmouth fans, are you confident ahead of the game? Join the discussion by commenting below…
