Injury news boost for Peterborough United as they get ready to attack the last third of the season

Posh have lost their last three League One matches to slip from second to fifth in the table, but big guns Ephron Mason-Clark and Kwame Poku are set to return to tackle relegation-haunted and managerless Port Vale at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm kick off).

Mason-Clark missed the 5-2 stuffing at Wycombe Wanderers, while Poku has missed the last seven competitive Posh games after suffering an ankle injury in a win at Charlton on January 13.

Posh could rest a couple of regular starters though after the management staff studied some comprehensive player data, while young goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic is expected to lose his place to Jed Steer.

"We have to make sure last week is not a defining one for our season,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson, who will start a two-match touchline ban tomorrow, said. “It’s never nice to suffer a week like that, but it can happen quickly when you play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.

"But we need to take a breath and remind ourselves we have still enjoyed a good season. We are fifth in the league, four points off the top two and in a cup semi-final.

"I’ve spoken to friends who have been watching Posh for 40 years who insist they have never seen football like we’ve been playing. It’s been very easy on the eye and the improvements in some players has been startling which is why we’ve just sold one for £4.5 million and had bids for several others.

"We’ve had one bad week of football which can happen and we’ve taken a big punch on the nose, but this time last season we were seven points off a play-off place so the comparison between then and now is chalk and cheese.

"We must however get back to keeping clean sheets. We’ve conceded too many soft goals and letting in 10 in three matches is never going to work.

"But we will stick with how we want to play. That’s not going to change and it’s good we have Ephron and Kwame back again. Not having Kwame is not only why we have lost three games in a row, although we’ve not just missed one of our best players, he’s one of the best players in League One.

"Everyone is back now. Jeando Fuchs is back after his partner gave birth over the weekend and Michael Olakigbe is back from suspension and I will pick the freshest team I can.

"There are a couple whose form has dipped lately and their data suggests they need a break so they will get one tomorrow. We need to guard against muscle injuries which can happen with tired players

"We have lost a bit of our edge and we need to get it back and be ready to attack the last third of the season.

"Vale are in a relegation fight so they have a lot to play for. They claimed a late equaliser on Saturday against Stevenage when they played very well in the first-half. They have a lot of energy in their side and we will have to play well to win.”

Posh have received better news on striker Jacob Wakeling who had been thought likely to miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury. He’s now expected be out for six weeks.