Peterborough United's cracking points tally means nothing to manager Darren Ferguson

Tommy Robson's Fourth Division title-winning Posh team were the last to have more points at this stage of the season than the current squad, if three points for a win had been applicable in 1973-74! Photo: David Lowndes.

Posh have accumulated 41 points, two more than the same stage of the last League One promotion season in 2020-21, eight more than in the memorable 2010-11 third tier promotion campaign and four more than in Darren Ferguson’s first Posh promotion season from League One in 2008-09.

After 21 matches of the League Two promotion campaign of 2007-08 Posh had 40 points after 21 matches. Even the all-conquering Fourth Division Champions Posh team ‘only’ had the equivalent of 39 points after 21 matches, but the last title winning team from 1973-74 would have had an impressive 45 points from their first 21 points if three points for a win had been in operation.

But Ferguson, who will be working his squad, on Christmas morning, isn’t looking at league tables, points projections and finishing predictions. His focus is on the next game at Shrewsbury on Saturday and on ensuring Posh maintain the standards that have yielded an excellent points tally and second place in the table.

Kwame Poku has been in great form for Posh this season. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

"There is no focus from me on where we are right now,” Ferguson insisted. “All the focus is on the next game. Where we are in the table has no bearing on how we play or how we work.

"That means getting ready for Shrewsbury, a place where it’s always tough, apart from last season when we played very well there.

"We are expecting another hard game. They will make it difficult for us and it’s important we maintain our own standards to give us the best chance of winning.

"In many ways last week’s win at Fleetwood (a 1-0 win which needed a strong defensive effort in the final 15 minutes) was better than beating someone 5-0 or 6-0 because we have to know we can fight and get a result when we are not taking our chances.

"Certainly the things we did well like digging in and heading balls out of our own penalty area are things we will need to do very well at Shrewsbury. They have been playing two forwards in most games, something we don’t often see, and they a considerable threat from set pieces and long throws.

“I know people have been saying we will thrash someone soon because of the chances we’ve been creating, but I don’t go along with that. Each game is different, but I have been pleased to see no panic in our play when we’ve been missing chances.”

Posh report no injuries and expect to name an unchanged starting line-up for the sixth League One match in a row.