Peterborough United to deliver a performance to match the occasion

Posh, who are currently eighth in League One, would jump back into the play-off places with a win tomorrow. Ferguson’s side are three points behind third-placed Portsmouth, but with a superior goal difference and fourth-placed Wycombe, who are without a fixture tomorrow, are also three points ahead of Posh, but with an inferior goal difference.

Posh welcome top scorer Ivan Toney back into their starting line-up after the striker completed a two-match suspension. Ferguson must decide to pair him with either Mo Eisa, who broke a near three-month goal drought last weekend, or Siriki Dembele who played a huge part in the club’s recent six game winning streak which included wins against promotion rivals Rotherham, Wycombe, Oxford and Ipswich.

“Games this big at this time of the season look after themselves,” Ferguson said. “It’s a massive match against a big club in front of a big crowd and my players are ready for it.

“We will need all 14 players to be at the top of their game against an experienced team with good players who will be well organised and well managed to have any chance of winning, but that was also the case against those other top sides recently and we coped with that very well. We can’t have any non-performers tomorrow.

“We have had a couple of disappointing results and we looked half a yard off the pace at Burton last weekend, but that game will have brought us on and and the players are excited about tomorrow’s contest. We also have Ivan back fresh and we have Mo Eisa back scoring goals.

“You have to enjoy these games. It’s far better to be fighting at the top end of the table than the bottom

and I am confident my players will deliver a performance. They look physically strong.

“Getting back into the top six is a big motivation as is keeping tabs on the automatic promotion places and at home we will be confident of doing just that. There is no doubt our fans will be up for the game and that always helps us.

“Our home form has kept us in the mix this season. We have been very good at home in front of the biggest crowds.”

Only centre-back Frankie Kent is confirmed Posh absentee. Midfielder Reece Brown and striker Ricky-Jade Jones have overcome knocks that were troubling them this week.

Posh will hold a minute’s applause before tomorrow’s game in memory of groundsman Will Whitney who passed away recently.