Peterborough United have a ‘free hit’ at Bournemouth and Fergie went to Hull and back to find a reason why his side can deliver the shock result of the Championship season!

Emile Sinclair scores his second goal of a hat-trick for Posh at Hull City in a Championship fixture in September, 2012.

And he’s recalled recent Posh history in the Championship to find why his side can provide the shock of the second tier season so far.

Posh should return to action after an absence of 16 days at the Vitality Stadium barring any late positive Covid tests in either camp. The entire Posh squad passed tests earlier this week, while Bournemouth have been in action over the Christmas period. The Cherries are due to host another struggling club Cardiff City tonight (December 30, 7.45pm).

The trip to the South coast is the start of a tough-looking January for Posh who also play promotion fancies Coventry (January 15) and Sheffield United (January 29), either side of a trip to fourth-placed West Brom (January 22).

Posh saw both their festive matches at home to Reading and at Birmingham City postponed. Posh have rearranged their game with Reading for Tuesday, February 15 (7.45pm).

“We wanted to play the Christmas games, given who we were playing” Ferguson insisted. “January does look tough, but we will treat Bournemouth as a free hit as no-one will expect us to get anything there.

“We can play with freedom and that could lead to an improved away performance.

“Sometimes you win a game out of the blue. The season in the Championship when we lost the first seven games we went up to Hull next who were top of the league and we won with Emile Sinclair hitting a hat-trick.

“Bournemouth have quality all over the park and it will be tough for us, but I’ll tell the players to express themselves and play with confidence as they have nothing to lose.

“They have been sharp in recent training sessions. The sessions have been very intense.”

In the 2012-13 Championship season post lost their first seven games to Leicester City, Millwall, Leeds United. Birmingham City, Burnley, Bristol City and Wolves before winning 3-1 at a Hull City side were top of the league and who would go on and win promotion under manager Steve Bruce.