The city side travel north to face Belle Vue at Kirkmanshulme Lane (7.30pm start) knowing their disappointing season is in desperate need of an injection of success.

The Aces have already slipped up three times on their own shale this season (the highest tally in the Elite League behind bottom club Wolverhampton's five home reverses) but Panthers team boss Trevor Swales is not talking up his team's chances of adding to that figure.

Belle Vue trimmed up Ipswich 52-38 in their previous home meeting last Monday before Panthers crashed 54-38 against the Suffolk side three days later. Those results prove the Peterborough men have it all to do tonight.

Swales said: "We desperately need a victory to get out of this losing rut, but Belle Vue are a lot stronger side than many people give them credit for being. Any team containing Jason Crump has to be taken seriously and we all saw how good he is on Saturday night.

"Jason is the best rider in the world at the moment in my opinion and the rest of the team are all capable of scoring points.

"A lot of people thought Ipswich would breeze to a win against Belle Vue last Monday but it didn't turn out that way. Given our result against Ipswich a few days later it shows we are going to have to be at our best tonight."

Belle Vue have been ravaged by injuries this season and are without Polish prospect Luaksz Jankowski (broken collarbone) tonight.

Veteran British star Joe Screen is expected to return to the saddle against Panthers after suffering concussion in a crash at Coventry 10 days ago.

Belle Vue track young Danish reserve Jonas Raun – a rider who had a handful of meetings for Panthers in their 2006 title season when only 16 years of age.