Match Preview: Burton Albion v Posh

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A look ahead to the first game of 2025 as Posh travel to the Pirelli Stadium to face Burton Albion in Sky Bet League One action on New Years Day (3pm).

It is fair to say that 2024 was a year of two halves, but there is no doubt, on reflection, that there were more highs and lows with Bristol Street Motors Trophy success, a 6-1 demolition of Cambridge United, a 5-1 success over Northampton Town and a number of Academy graduates blooded into the first team.

Of course, by manager Darren Ferguson's own admission, the second half of the year has provided plenty of challenges and after back to back home defeats to end 2024, al at the club are hoping for a positive start to the New Year when the club travel to Burton Albion.

The two sides met fairly recently with the Brewers taking all three points from the Weston Homes Stadium, but they remain towards to the foot of the division.

TEAM NEWS

Kwame Poku remains sidelined with a hamstring injury while left-back Rio Adebisi is out for the rest of the season, but goalkeeper Jed Steer is available for selection after a knee problem and Bradley Ihionvien returned to the fold at the weekend.

George Nevett is available after suspension, but teenage defender Harley Mills is suspended following his red card against Barnsley.

Burton will have to make do without Terence Vancooten after he was sent off for two yellow cards against Huddersfield.

Bowyer must decide whether to replace the defender with another centre-back or switch to a four, allowing for a wide player to come into the team.

Dylan Williams and Tomas Kalinauskas are both options having been introduced as substitutes last time out, while Ciaran Gilligan is an alternative if Bowyer switches to a diamond. Danilo Orsi will also hope to keep his place in attack.

MANAGER QUOTES

"It is a tight pitch and Burton is always a tough place to go, we know that we need to perform to get the result we are after. They have changed system since Gary took over as manager, returning to a back three. For us, I changed the system against Barnsley and it made us more tight defensively, it is a system that I like, but there are options, I don't want us to lose our identity going forward," Darren Ferguson said.

ONE TO WATCH

Danilo Orsi (pictured below) signed for the Brewers from Crawley Town in June 2024, after scoring 25 goals in 50 games and helping the Red Devils return to the Sky Bet League One after their play-off promotion in 2023/24. London-born Danilo’s career began in the United States, where he combined playing football alongside his studies. He went on to score 27 goals in 32 appearances for Eastern Florida State College, before spells at Chivas and Fort Lauderdale.

He returned to England in 2018, having spells with East Thurrock United, Hungerford Town and Hampton & Richmond Borough before joining Maidenhead United in the National League in 2020. In 2021, after significant interest from EFL clubs, Danilo signed for League Two Harrogate Town and made a total of 14 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals before joining Boreham Wood on loan in January 2022. The striker joined Grimsby Town at the start of the 2022/23 season and went on to make 32 appearances for the Mariners, before completing his move to West Sussex ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.