Peterborough United manager calls for bravery on the ball and more energy as he plots a first away success of the season at Sheffield United

Posh head to South Yorkshire without a goal or a point from two away matches so far this season, but Ferguson’s side will still take a typically positive approach into the contest against a team full of Premier League, as well as Championship, experience.

On loan West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry is expected to make his Posh debut, but possibly not alongside former Ireland Under 21 teammate Jack Taylor who is still being nursed back to full fitness.

Ferguson said: “It’s a tough game against a huge club. They have a squad full of absolute quality which is also full of Premier League standard players.

“What they achieved under Chris Wilder was incredible. They were great to watch and hard to play against, but none of that matters tomorrow.

“They’ve had some changes and they are still developing. It will be a different game tactically tomorrow, but the way we coped with other promotion contenders Cardiff and West Brom is encouraging. Let’s face it we were about 90 seconds away from three extra points in those two matches.

“We will need to be brave with the ball tomorrow. We have to be prepared to accept the ball in tight areas and play out. We have the players capabale of doing that.

“We’ve analysed the first five games of the season and it’s obvious we have been much better at home than way and if we play like we did at Luton and in the first-half at Preston we will give ourselves problems. If we keep giving the ball away we will just encourage the opposition and the home crowd and they can be very vocal at Bramall Lane.

“We’ve looked more energised in home matches and we’ve pressed much better. We need to bring those qualities into away games now.

“Conor Coventry was in the building yesterday and he will train with us today. He is match fit having almost played two 90 minutes for Ireland Under 21s. He looks good and he feels good.

“It was great to have Jack Taylor back for the West Brom game, but we still have to be careful with him. The good thing is there was no reaction to his hamstring injury.

“Oliver Norburn came off with an ankle injury against West Brom, but he is fine.

“They (Sheffield United) have had some players away on international duty and that can disrupt preparations. They have not started the way they would have wanted, but it will a tough game and we will have to play well to get anything from it.”

Centre-back Mark Beevers and teenage striker Ricky-Jade Jones are long-term Posh absentees.