If Bristol City Loan Star Had Been Fit Then – Ex-Portsmouth Man Sure | OneFootball

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Former Portsmouth star Danny Rose believes that Pompey would have been mathematically safe by now in the Championship if Bristol City loan star Rob Atkinson had been fit.

Atkinson joined Bristol City back in 2021 from Oxford United and has played only 66 games for the club as he has faced major injury issues.

He barely played for the Robins in the last two years after he suffered an ACL injury in early 2023, and that was followed by multiple hamstring issues as well.

In the winter window, Atkinson was loaned out to Portsmouth for the rest of the season, where he started brightly, but in February, he suffered a calf injury, which kept him out for seven Championship games.

John Mousinho’s men are currently four points above the Championship relegation zone and they will need to keep looking over their shoulders to ensure their safety.

Rose hailed Atkinson for his quality as a player and he believes Pompey would have been mathematically safe at this stage if Atkinson had not suffered that calf injury in February.

“He comes with great pedigree”, the former Pompey star told BBC Radio Portsmouth (2:23) about the Bristol City loanee.

“He obviously, I think, would have been very influential if he was able to stay fit for the games he missed.

“I do not think Portsmouth would find themselves where they are.

“I think they would have been probably safe by now, mathematically, had he been fit.”

The Bristol City loanee scored an extremely important brace against Derby County last weekend to pick up a 2-2 draw in a relegation scrap.

Atkinson will look to keep his fitness up to help Pompey survive in the Championship with only four league games remaining.