A look ahead to Saturday’s Sky Bet League One meeting with local rivals Cambridge United at the Weston Homes Stadium (12pm).
Peterborough United welcome local rivals Cambridge United to the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday (12pm) in Sky Bet League One action and it will the first time that boss Darren Ferguson has managed a Posh side in a league fixture against the U’s in PE2.
Posh go into the game on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Wigan Athletic, but still lie in fourth place in the League One table, while Cambridge occupy 13th place in the standings and were 4-1 victors over Tottenham Hotspur under 21s in the Bristol Motors Trophy on Tuesday evening, a win that actually secured Posh’s progress in the competition.
TEAM NEWS
Posh are without the services of goalkeeper Will Blackmore and midfielder Jeando Fuchs due to injury, while striker Malik Mothersille remains a doubt with a shoulder injury sustained in the Bristol Street Motors victory over Tottenham Hotspur under 21s.
Fuchs has been pencilled in for a 45-minute appearance against Colchester United later this month as he returns from a long-term muscle injury. Posh boss Darren Ferguson hinted a number of other players had responded well to treatment following the defeat at Wigan.
Cambridge boss Mark Bonner revealed earlier in the week that he is hopeful Gassan Ahadme will return to the fold on Saturday and that it’s good news regarding Jordan Cousins, whose scan came back positive - he’s a “real long shot” for the weekend, with an outside chance that he could play a part. Elsewhere, Elias Kachunga has made a welcome return to training.
ONE TO WATCH
Fejiri Okenabirhie (pictured below) is the U’s top scorer and the former Shrewsbury Town front man is expected to lead the line against Posh with Ahadme unlikely to come straight into the line-up. Okenabirhie is a powerful number nine, adept with the ball at his feet as well as dealing with the physical battles against centre backs. The England ‘C’ international counts Doncaster Rovers, Dagenham and Redbridge and Stevenage as his former clubs.
FROM THE MANAGER
“Cambridge are a very well organised side, their defensive record is excellent and it will be tough to break them down on Saturday. We have to try and move them around, bring them out of their structure and play with purpose. It is a game that I am looking forward too, I am sure it will be a brilliant atmosphere and it is great that Posh fans are behind both ends of the stadium,” Darren Ferguson said.
TICKET NEWS
We still have limited tickets available for the game with tickets on sale at www.theposhtickets.com and via the Weston Homes Stadium ticket office until 5pm on Friday. The game is ALL-TICKET. Cambridge fans will be accommodated in the away section of the North Main Stand.
POSH+
Match passes are available to purchase for £10 for domestic and overseas subscribers with audio passes available in the UK for £5. Nilesh Patel and Chris Dowsett will be on commentary.
HEAD TO HEAD
An own goal by Lloyd Jones earned Posh all three points last season at the Weston Homes Stadium. You can watch highlights from the game here.
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS
There have been a number of players that have crossed the divide with Ryan Bennett (pictured below) a regular at the heart of the U’s defence after a successful spell in PE2. Last season, Will Norris was part of the Posh side that featured against the U’s while down the years there have been others, including Chris Turner who played and managed both, who have featured in both blue and white and amber.
Those players include; Trevor Benjamin, Marc Joseph, Danny Andrew, Jon Sheffield, Hayden Coulson, Lil Fuccilo, Micah Hyde, Gary Kimble, Lee Philpott, Simon Rea, Pat Rayment and Ciaron Toner.
TRIBUTE
At 11am, the club will mark the national two-minute silence for Remembrance Day and just ahead of kick-off, there will be another period of silence following the Last Post.
HALL OF FAME
Ahead of kick-off, former Posh defender Gabriel Zakuani (pictured below) will be inducted into the club's Hall of Fame pitchside. Zakuani, who will be part of the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire commentary team, will no doubt want to say his appreciation to the Posh fans for the support he received during his career.
MATCH OFFICIAL
Scott Oldham is the match referee.