Peterborough United boss on leaving players out and the need to keep improving as in-form Charlton visit the Weston Homes Stadium

Kwame Poku in action for Posh at Charlton on Boxing Day. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh delivered a rock-solid 2-0 League One away win at understrength Port Vale in Ferguson’s first game back in charge on Monday.

But there is a tougher challenge ahead when in-form Charlton Athletic visit the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday (3pm), a match Posh are confident will take place despite the freezing weather.

Charlton have themselves been inspired by a new manager as former Posh skipper Dean Holden has overseen victories in the Londoners’ last three third tier matches after drawing his first game in charge 1-1 with Posh at the Valley. Charlton are 12th just four points behind seventh-placed Posh having played a game more.

Joe Ward in action for Posh at Charlton on Boxing Day. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

"I expected Charlton to go on a run sooner rather than later,” Ferguson admitted. “They have under-achieved with the players they have. They have found a playing formula that suits them and they’ve now signed a forward Macauley Bonne who is Championship standard.

"It’s a tough game, but it should also be a very good game and one we are looking forward to.

"There were some very good bits to our performance at Port Vale. The clean sheet was important and we controlled the game after the first 15 minutes. We also showed some quality.

"There is still lots of improvement to find and that’s a good thing. Winning games at this level is not just about having quality and a good tactical approach.

"You have to be mentally tough and show desire to compete and win and we did just that on a poor pitch on a freezing cold night at Vale.

“Now it’s about finding the consistency needed to win games during a busy schedule.”

Fergison could hand on-loan left-back Nathanael Ogbeta a Posh debut on Saturday, if he decides to change a winning side.

Anyone left out of the starting XI will receive a full and frank explanation of the manager’s decision.

"Sometimes as a manager you just have to make decisions,” Ferguson added. “Players might not like it, but if I explain the reasons why I hope they respect the decision. It could be for a variety of reasons, like form or just not training well.

"I left two good players in Jeando Fuchs and Joe Randall out of the squad altogether at Port Vale. They weren’t easy decisions.”