Portsmouth are bracing themselves for a significant spell without attacker Keshi Anderson after head coach John Mousinho confirmed the 31-year-old has suffered a hamstring tear that is expected to keep him sidelined for eight to ten weeks.

Anderson came on as a substitute during Wednesday's 3-2 Championship win over Sheffield United at Fratton Park, only to go down with the injury and leave the pitch less than 20 minutes after entering the fray. It is a cruel blow for a player who has struggled for game time this season, with his two league appearances both coming off the bench.

"He has got a hamstring tear so we're looking at 8-10 weeks out for him," Mousinho said. The timeframe would rule Anderson out of a substantial portion of the second half of the campaign, depending on exactly when the injury occurred in relation to the fixture list.

Bishop also a concern

The Anderson news was not the only fitness setback Mousinho had to address. Striker Colby Bishop was withdrawn from the squad for Saturday's away trip to Norwich City at short notice after feeling discomfort in his knee during the warm-up. Mousinho was candid about the state of his options, describing the situation in blunt terms.

"We're really thin on the ground at the moment," he said. "We had two goalkeepers on the bench and lost a player in the warm-up today. He felt his knee and didn't feel quite right."

Bishop had featured ten times across all competitions this season, contributing one goal. Losing him, even temporarily, adds to what is becoming a testing period for Portsmouth's squad depth.

Thin resources at a critical time

The timing is far from ideal for Pompey. The club picked up the three points they needed against Sheffield United in midweek, a result that will have done their confidence and their Championship standing genuine good. But stringing results together becomes considerably harder when the options available from the bench or in reserve are depleted.

Anderson's injury record this season tells its own story. Two substitute appearances in the league is a modest return by any measure, and the hamstring tear suggests his pre-season preparation or early-season workload may not have left him fully conditioned. Mousinho will now need to identify cover in an attacking department that was already light.

Whether Portsmouth move in the transfer market to address the shortfall, or ask more of the players already available to them, remains to be seen. The head coach has not, in his public comments, framed the injury as a trigger for recruitment activity, though the language around being "thin on the ground" does little to disguise the problem.

For now, the focus will be on managing what is available, and ensuring that neither the Anderson absence nor uncertainty around Bishop's knee develops into something that derails a campaign that showed genuine signs of momentum at Fratton Park on Wednesday.

Frequently asked

How long is Keshi Anderson out for Portsmouth?
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has said Keshi Anderson faces eight to ten weeks out after suffering a hamstring tear during the 3-2 Championship win over Sheffield United.
What happened to Colby Bishop for Portsmouth?
Striker Colby Bishop was withdrawn from Portsmouth's squad at short notice before the away match at Norwich City after feeling discomfort in his knee during the warm-up.
How many games has Keshi Anderson played for Portsmouth this season?
Anderson had made only two Championship appearances this season, both coming as a substitute, before sustaining his hamstring injury.