Louis Thompson has seen his time on the pitch limited by injuries over the past few years.
But the summer signing is now raring to go and ready to make his mark in Pompey’s midfield engine room.
His one start for the club came in last month’s dramatic Papa John’s Trophy group stage defeat at AFC Wimbledon.
And Thompson will hope to feature in the same competition when Sutton visit the south coast on Tuesday evening.
He said: “Every footballer understands that when you have such a long lay-off, you need time and patience.
“There’s no point in rushing things and I feel like I’ve been improving each day, with the most important thing to stay fit and healthy.
“I’ve enjoyed the change of scenery and my training schedule – I’ve been very well managed and long may that continue.
"We’ve got a competitive squad here and the drives up the standards. It keeps you sharp and I’m enjoying the challenge."
“My body is now in a position where it can handle the rigours of League One and then it’s up to the manager.
“We’ve got a competitive squad here and the drives up the standards. It keeps you sharp and I’m enjoying the challenge.”
Pompey require a victory to boost their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages and face a Sutton side that secured the National League title last term.
Thompson said: “It’s always nice to get a run-out and hopefully I can help us get the result that we need in this competition.
“Sutton are in really good form at the moment and coming off the back of winning promotion last season.
“I’m sure they’ll be full of confidence, so we have to implement our own style and look to enjoy the games.
“There’s a good atmosphere around the place and everyone wants to build momentum during an important few weeks for us.”