Peterborough United set to offer star man a new deal, plus early team news ahead of Reading game

The 21 year-old has been in inspired form in recent weeks as a switch to a number 10 role has reaped dividends for the player and his team. Mothersille scored one and claimed an assist in Saturday’s impressive 3-0 win over Charlton. He is now the club’s top scorer in League One games with 11 goals and the joint top scorer in all competitions alongside Ricky-Jade Jones with 15 goals. Mothersille’s seven goal assists is the second highest tally in League One behind Wrexham’s Ryan Barnett.

Mothersille’s two-year contract at Posh expires as the end of this season, but the club have an option to extend by a season which they undoubtedly would if necessary.

"Malik’s a very good player,” Ferguson said. “His running from a deeper position is causing teams so many problems. He misses chances which can happen, but he is currently playing so well and offering so much.

"We have an option on him for next season anyway, but I imagine we will be offering him a new deal.”

Ferguson confirmed there is no injury issue for Posh skipper Hector Kyprianou even though he was left out of a 23-man Cyprus squad for their World Cup qualifying defeat in Bosnia-Herzegovina last night. Kyprianou is due back in the UK today, but whether or not he gets back into the Posh starting line-up for Saturday’s League One game at Reading is another matter given how well Mo Susoho played in his absence against Charlton.

The Posh boss did confirm Tayo Edun would return as left-back in place of Harley Mills, who also performed well on Saturday against tough opposition.

"Hector is fine physically,” Ferguson added. “He messaged me yesterday afternoon to say he was not in the squad after not playing a minute in their game on Friday when he was a substitute. Cyprus have changed their manager since they first picked Hector.

"Harley never lets us down and he’s played well against two very good sides in Wrexham and Charlton in his last two games, but it’s hard for him to keep Tayo out of the side. I do have a decision to make in midfield though. We knew we were getting a very good player when we picked up Mo, but his injury really knocked him back. When he recovered it was a time when Hector and Archie Collins were playing very well, but Hector’s now been away and Mo looked very good on Saturday.”

Ferguson expressed concern the game at Reading could be disrupted by fans’ protests against an unpopular owner, but the PT has been told nothing is currently planned. Reading are threatened with expulsion from the Football League unless they can sort their ownership situation out in the next few weeks.

Reading have performed well on the field given their circumstances. They are currently two places and two points off the play-off spots.