Big decision for Peterborough United manager as key defender is passed fit for Hillsborough test

Thompson left the League One game at Accrington Stanley on April 18 on crutches and hasn’t played since because of an ankle problem. Former Posh teammate Ethan Hamilton made the challenge that left the 32 year-old defender stricken.

In normal circumstances Thompson would be a shoo-in selection, but Joe Ward, a winger by trade, was outstanding at right-back in the win at Barnsley on the final day of the season that took Posh into the play-offs and in the 4-0 semi-final first leg win over the Owls last Friday. He scored in the play-off game.

But Posh can expect to come under heavy pressure from a desperate Owls team on Thursday so a specialist defender might get the nod.

"Nathan has trained for the last two days,” Ferguson said. “I’lI now have to make a decision based on how he’s looked in two days of training in the last month which isn’t very much. The entire squad will be travelling.

“Joe Ward, and Harrison Burrows at left-back, have been excellent in the last two games. They have defended well when they needed to, but they have also given us outlets on the flanks which is important given how we want to play. Harrison set up two goals in the first leg and Joe scored.

"Joe and Harrison will probably have to deliver a defensive shift tomorrow, but they are capable of doing that.”

There has been speculation Wednesday will ditch the back three formation that has served them well all season for a game tomorrow when they have to score at least four times to have a chance of reaching a Wembley final.

Ferguson added: “We can second guess all day long about what they will do, but we obviously have no idea. We have been preparing for different scenarios though.

"We will concentrate mainly on our own gameplan and executing that properly.”