Peterborough United manager with some early team news for crunch Derby County clash and how the under 21s and under 18s fared on Tuesday

Josh Knight (blue) will play for Posh against Derby County on Saturday. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh will be without teenage central defender Ronnie Edwards for the crucial League One clash with play-off rivals Derby County at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Edwards is on international duty with England under 20s and will be replaced in the starting line-up by Josh Knight, but Watts won’t even be on the substitutes’ bench. Knight lost his place in the side after collecting a red card against Charlton earlier this month.

Watts, who is on loan from Newcastle United, has been absent with a hamstring injury since New Years Day, but is back in training. He didn’t appear in Tuesday’s Professional Development Under 21 League match at Coventry City.

"Kell won’t be available until the Oxford game the following week,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson said. “We have to follow the wishes of Newcastle, but he wouldn’t be ready for Derby.

"it would have been nice to have a left-footed option, but I have no concerns about playing Josh. He was in great form before the red card. I was very pleased with him.

"It’s not unusual for teams playing a back four to have two right-footed central defenders. Josh and Frankie Kent could both play on the left, but as Frankie is currently playing very well on the right I’ll probably leave him there.

"The other alternative would be change formations, but I won’t be doing that.

"Dan Butler got some minutes in the under 21s today so he will provide the defensive cover.”

Posh currently have no other injury issues. Midfielder Hector Kyprianou picked up a knock in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Lincoln City, but he is expected to be fit for the Derby clash.

Ferguson wasn’t impressed with the under 21 performance in a 2-0 defeat Coventry City.

The hosts scored twice in final seven minutes of the first-half against a side that included senior players Ben Thompson, Jeando Fuchs, Joel Randall and Kabongo Tshimanga.

Randall and Ricky-Jade Jones came closest to scoring for Posh, while Coventry almost claimed a third goal with a shot that came back off the underside of the crossbar.

Posh: Blackmore, Mensah (sub Darlington, 62 mins), Butler (sub Dreyer, 62 mins), O’Connell, Fernandez, B. Thompson, Fuchs, Randall, Corbett (sub Tonge, 46), Tshimanga, Jones. Subs Laycock, Chiha.

Posh Under 18s made it 10 wins in a row in all competitions with a 2-0 Professional Development League win over Birmingham City on Tuesday.

Dennis Kelmendi and Reuben Marshall scored the goals in the second-half.

Posh had beaten Colchester 5-0 in a league game on Saturday with two goals from Benjamin Arthur while Marshall, Harley Mills and Tyler Winters were also on target.