Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett has delivered an update on the fitness of centre-back Jack Whatmough and whether he is ready to play twice in a week.

Whatmough is nearing full fitness for the first time this season, having only appeared once for Jackett, but with two crucial games in the League One promotion race coming up, that could soon change.

However, Jackett remains uncertain over whether he will be ready to face both Peterborough United on Saturday and then Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night.

"We'll see, we'll look if I play him how he plays and then after that how he is in between," he said at his pre-match press conference, reported by Andrew Moon of the BBC.

"If Jack is up to it we all know what a good player he is".

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Having graduated via the Pompey youth system, the Fratton Park faithful have been eager to see more of Whatmough all season, but damage to cartilage in his knee in February 2019 saw him stuck on the sidelines for a while.

His one appearance this season came in a 2-1 win against Scunthorpe United in the quarter finals of the EFL Trophy, coming through the full 90 minutes.

In January he returned to the bench of the first-team squad for nine matches but was dropped out of the squad for last week's Rochdale victory.

He was back among the substitutes for the FA Cup clash with Arsenal though and will now be chomping at the bit to get back onto the pitch.

The verdict

Jackett's caution here is sensible and the right approach to take, although it is undoubtedly a frustration for the player.

Whatmough has always looked very well accomplished when given the chance but Pompey have kept six clean sheets in their last nine matches, so throwing him back into the action would be unneccessary.

It seems strange that he has not been given more chances from the bench, however.