Gavin Bazunu faces battle to reclaim place between Portsmouth posts

While Bazunu was away on international duty, his deputy Alex Bass kept two clean sheets

Wed, 17 Nov, 2021 - 11:30

Robin Marshall

GAVIN Bazunu may have starred for the Republic of Ireland against Portugal and Luxembourg but he has now got a battle on his hands to regain his starting place at Portsmouth.

Bazunu is on a season-long loan at Portsmouth from Manchester City and has been the first choice at Fratton Park this term.

But while he was away on international duty, his deputy, Alex Bass, kept clean sheets against Crystal Palace under-21s in the Papa Johns Trophy and Wycombe Wanderers in League One.

Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley admits he has a tough decision to make ahead of Saturday's clash against AFC Wimbledon.

Cowley said: "It's not easy. I know Bass played against Palace but in a very different game. Wycombe was probably the toughest of games to come into, because they put so many balls in the box.

"I thought he was just magnificent, really good. I’m so, so pleased for him.

“He is a top goalkeeper and it is horrible because I wake up every morning wanting to help the players improve and get better and obviously, on a Saturday, you have to pick a team and you can only pick 11.

"You feel like you're getting in a good player’s way, which is never nice, but I’m really pleased for Bass because he’s conducted himself brilliantly.

"When you do that day to day, then football normally has got a way of looking after you."

However, Ben Amos of Wigan Athletic and Viktor Johansson of Rotherham United are the only goalkeepers with more league clean sheets than Bazunu this season.

And earlier this month, Cowley said, of Bazunu: "Gavin's a top kid, he's going to be a top player. He loves his football, it means a lot to him, but he probably has the strongest mentality out of everyone in the group, so he will come through.

"He's a top goalkeeper and has been excellent for us. Yes he has made some mistakes, but that is the life of a keeper."