Moxon has missed out on the matchday squad for the past two games, following three substitute appearances earlier in the campaign. The competition in midfield has intensified with the summer arrivals of Abdoulaye Kamara, Andre Dozzell, and loanee Freddie Potts, alongside the existing options of Marlon Pack and Terry Devlin.

Mousinho admits the battle for places is fierce but insists Moxon remains in his plans. He commented: “Mox has been a bit unlucky, with Marlon and the new midfielders in the squad making it highly competitive. However, we’ve kept him in the squad, and the door is still open for him.”

Mousinho believes that while Moxon has had limited opportunities since joining from Carlisle in January, he has the qualities to succeed in Pompey’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, which requires midfielders to both control play and be aggressive defensively. Mousinho emphasized the need for continued hard work from Moxon to adjust to the demands of the Championship, saying: “We’re going to keep pushing him to ensure he’s ready when the opportunity arises.”