'Marmite' Malik is back in time to face Peterborough United and form guide, odds and referee information on Stockport County
Former Peterborough United striker Malik Mothersille has returned to fitness in time to play against his old club for Stockport County at the Weston Homes Stadium on Thursday night.
It’s unlikely a 22 year-old who has endured a miserable time since moving to Stockport County from Posh in the summer will start. A forward touted as ‘one of the best young prospects in the EFL’ by a club who had forked out a club record fee for him has scored just one goal and that was a two-yard deflection during an opening day League One win over Bolton Wanderers.
That’s a dismal return for a former Chelsea youngster who cost close to £1 million after a much more impressive 16 goals in a struggling Posh side the season before. Mothersille was a bit of a Marmite figure with the London Road fanbase as undoubted talent was often accompanied by signs of arrogance.
Injuries haven’t helped at his new club and he also took time off after becoming a father for the first time.
Mothersille started just four League One games and two EFL Trophy games for table-topping Stockport. He started the last County match, a 1-1 Trophy draw at home to Wigan Athletic last week.
It’s been an even worse campaign for the other ex-Posh player to relocate to Greater Manchester in the summer. Talented, but hot-headed, left-back Tayo Edun is yet to play a single game for County because of an ankle injury.
Edun became a Posh hero with a classy winning goal in last season’s derby at Cambridge United, but blotted his copybook when getting sent off for violent conduct in a 4-0 derby drubbing at home to Northampton Town later in the campaign. He was also sent off in the last minute at Cambridge.
County signed former Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield right-back this week. The 34 year-old played for Bristol Rovers last season, but has been a free agent since a summer release.
Tomorrow’s Posh visitors have goal power without Mothersille in Kyle Wootton and on-loan Stoke City player Nathan Lowe. Jack Diamond supplies the class out wide and he scored County’s late equaliser in this fixture last season.
Midfielder Oliver Norwood’s challenge ended the season of Archie Collins in that fixture. Norwood is now sidelined for a lengthy period after an operation to remove a blood clot on his leg.
CURRENT FORM
County have the best away record in League One with four wins, two draws and a defeat in seven road games. That defeat came was a shock one at Plymouth, but they’ve won at Port Vale, Rotherham, Huddersfield and Wycombe.
Stockport had won five and drawn one of six matches to get to the top of the table before losing 3-0 at home to Luton Town last time out in League One.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Matthew Russell referees Posh v Stockport tomorrow night. It’s his first match in charge of Posh. He’s issued just 20 yellow cards and one red card in 10 outings this season.
BIG GAME ODDS
Posh are a big-priced 21/10 to beat Stockport with the visitors priced at 23/20 and the draw at 23./10 with Sky Bet. Posh are evens with the same firm to be relegated, while Stockport are 7/2 to stay on top of the table until the end of the season.