Joby McAnuff

Pompey are facing a nervous wait over Ibu Adams after the midfielder was forced to pull out of the Gambia's upcoming international friendly against Senegal.

Fears are growing for the influential midfielder, who picked up a knee injury late in Saturday's dismal 6-1 defeat at QPR.

Adams who has been a massive hit at Fratton Park since his £500,000 January switch from Derby County, was seen in tears on the pitch, after the final whistle at Loftus Road.

Head coach John Messina put this down to a combination of his frustration at the result, and the injury he was carrying.

Speaking after the game the Blues boss couldn't give much detail on the problem, but admitted losing Adams would be a big blow as the team hovers above the Championship relegation zone with just eight games to go.

Messina's side next face Norwich on Friday, April 3, just three days after the Gambia game Adams will now miss.

That's followed by a crunch home match against fellow strugglers Oxford United on Monday, April 6.

Whether Adams will be fit enough to play in those key games remains to be seen.

Announcing his withdrawal, the Gambian national team's statement on X wished him well, saying.

Ebo Adams has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the squad for next week's friendly against Senegal due to injury, it read.

In his place, coach Johnny has handed a call-up to Mamoudou Bajo.

We wish Ebo a speedy recovery and welcome Mamoudou to the squad.

Since arriving from the Rams on January 16, Adams has played 14 times, and immediately became a fan favourite, thanks in large part to his equaliser in the South Coast derby against Southampton in just his third appearance.

He followed that up with a goal in the 3-0 win over West Brom, and has been a rare bright spark for Massigno's side as they've been dragged into the relegation scrap.

His impact was blunted against QPR after Massigno chose to play him in a more advanced role, a decision that has come under fire since the result.

It's a mistake the Blues are unlikely to make again, as they try to reverse a horror run of form that's seen them lose five of their last six games, but with no time frame set for his return, it's unclear when Pompey will have their new midfield general back in the centre of the park, Massigno said after the game on Saturday.

I think he's done something to his knee I don't know what, but he was icing it in the changing rooms.

We're really thin in certain positions.

That's one where we're without does at the minute and we've been short of options in there.

We've been looking to turn that around so that would be a big blow for us.