FA to investigate John Mousinho’s ‘unusual’ Southampton accusation after Portsmouth incident
Portsmouth’s 0-0 draw against Southampton on Sunday might not have been the most entertaining match, but there were certainly plenty of talking points.
Southampton manager Will Still and John Mousinho were involved in an exchange at full-time after an intense game.
This was much to the displeasure of the Saints boss, who insisted he didn’t understand the incident.
Speaking after the match, Mousinho was far from pleased with the outcome of one event during the match.
Pompey News presents the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.
Keith Hackett: John Mousinho could face investigation by FA
Another big talking point from the match was the injury to Portsmouth duo Nicolas Schmid and Connor Ogilvie.
Both players were forced off during the derby for a coming together that happened in the first half.
However, Mousinho seemingly blamed Southampton’s Tom Fellows for the injury to the Portsmouth duo.
The manager told The Guardian on 14 September: “I thought it was really poor. It is a small push but a small push with massive consequences … there’s no other explanation for that other than he’s trying to injure our players.
“And he did so successfully, so well done on that. If anyone can give me another explanation, I’ll happily take it.”
However, Keith Hackett completely disagrees with Mousinho’s statement.
As a result, the former referee believes that the Pompey manager could face an investigation from the FA for his comments.
- Ogilvie and Fellows were both chasing a loose ball in the first half
- However, Schmid also came out to clear the ball, which resulted in the collision
- Looking back on the incident, Mousinho believes Fellows is to blame due to a push
He exclusively told Pompey News: “It appears to me that the Portsmouth player is chasing his opponent and the ball when the goalkeeper comes way outside his penalty area.
“Suddenly, the Southampton player, seeing the goalkeeper coming towards him, puts the brakes on and comes into contact with the Portsmouth player, who literally holds out his arms to slow his movement down, that results in the slightest of pushes.
“I see a contact, but with no malice and certainly accidental.
“The actions of the goalkeeper coming out at pace have more impact on the injury situation rather than the actions of the Portsmouth player.
“I hope that the Football authorities investigate because the statement by the Portsmouth manager is unusual.
“The question to be asked by the Authorities is ‘does the statement by the manager bring the game into disrepute?”
Ben Killip face big task for Portsmouth
No matter the outcome for Mousinho’s comments, it appears that Ben Killip may be in goal for the foreseeable future.
The goalkeeper was brought on during the derby, but often looked nervous, and almost made a crucial mistake in the second half.
If he starts against Sheffield Wednesday, a better performance is no doubt needed from the 29-year-old.
If not, Josef Bursik may be looking to come into the starting XI to make his Pompey debut sooner rather than later.
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