Unnamed player tests positive for coronavirus

DANNY COWLEY has confirmed one member of his playing squad will not be available for tonight’s

Papa John’s Trophy tie at AFC Wimbledon after testing positive for coronavirus.

The unnamed player will sit out the trip to Plough Lane – along with a figure in the Blues’ coaching staff – as the head coach confirmed that most of the club’s firstteam squad are now fully vaccinated against the virus.

Ellis Harrison and Haji Mnoga both missed Pompey’s final pre-season friendly against Peterborough after contracting Covid, while injured winger Jayden Reid followed suit last month.

The latest case in the squad is unlikely to keep the team member out of Saturday’s trip to MK Dons in League One.

But with life in general returning to some sort of normality, Cowley admitted keeping the Blues’ bubble sterile and secure was proving challenging.

Speaking ahead of the Wimbledon clash, Cowley, above, told The News: ‘We are still missing one player and a member of staff, but other than that we are very good (going into the game).

‘We are hoping the player will be back for the weekend, but he won’t be there tomorrow night.

‘We have to be respectful of their privacy and the fact that it’s a medical matter, so we cannot comment on names.

‘We are trying to keep this bubble as sterile as we can, which is a challenge to us.

‘Obviously we have players with children who are going back to school and as soon as they do then the bubble becomes bigger and bigger and bigger.

‘The way of the world now, things are going back towards some type of normality and, as a consequence, it’s difficult to keep the bubble we live in as sterile as we would like.’

Cowley said having members of his playing staff double vaccinated was an important step to take.

‘Most of our players now are double vaccinated, which is really important to us, particularly if we do get an outbreak because it stops us having to self-isolate and we will continue to take the necessary precautions to try to stay on the right side if we can,’ he added.