Fit-again Peterborough United striker Jones in the frame for Fleetwood clash

Darren Ferguson has confirmed teenage striker Ricky-Jade Jones will be in the squad for Saturday's Sky Bet League One showdown with Fleetwood Town at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Ricky Jade-JonesRicky Jade-Jones
Ricky Jade-Jones

But the Peterborough United boss admits the news isn't so good on Siriki Dembele and Reece Brown, and he fears the pair, who were struck down with Covid-19 last week, 'won't be involved' this weekend.

Jade-Jones returned to full training this week having missed Posh's opening three matches of the campaign due to an ankle injury picked up in a pre-season friendly with Coventry City.

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And he is set to feature against Fleetwood, with Ferguson saying: "Ricky will be in the squad on Saturday, he is looking good."

That will be a major boost following Posh's opening day 2-0 league one defeat at Accrington last weekend, especially as Dembele looks likely to remain out of the frame.

"In his position as a striker he gives you something different, there is no question about that, and that was something we missed last week - we needed something different," said the Posh boss on Thursday afternoon.

"Dembele wasn't involved, then all of a sudden Ricky is not involved, and then you are looking at players who are not really strikers.

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"When we went 1-0 behind we had to try and find a way of breaking them down, which we weren't good enough to do on the day, but Ricky gives you that something different.

"We all know what that is, and he is improving.

"His technical ability is improving and we are doing a lot of work with the boy, and it was a pity he got injured because he had come off the back of a very good performance and a few goals pre-season.

"But we know what Ricky is, and people may forget that is only 17.

"He is still very, very young, but we feel that he is going to play a big part this season in terms of what he can bring to the table."

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Dembele and Brown have returned to training after the stints of self-isolation, but Ferguson doesn't think either will be in good enough shape to play this weekend.

"They will be back with us, but you have to say they are big, big doubts in terms of the time they have had off," said Ferguson.

"With Dembele we have managed to get a little bit more work done at home with him than Brownie, because we have managed to get a treadmill to Dembs' house and all the rest of it.

"Brownie had stronger symptoms of the virus than Dembs as well, so they may come back in different conditions.

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"Brownie was back in on Thursday and he'll do a bit of work, but you have to say that they won't be involved on Saturday I wouldn't have thought."

Definitely still out is Frazer Blake-Tracy, who has yet to feature this campaign due to a hamstring strain, but it is hoped that he will be available for the trip to Sunderland on September 26.