Poku could now return for Peterborough United at Blackpool as Fergie orders players not to let their standards slip

There is no chance of the 23 year-old starting the match at Bloomfield Road, but his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained on December 4 is almost complete. Poku played for an hour in an in-house friendly on Friday.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson said after Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Shrewsbury Town that Poku would not be back until the home game with promotion-chasing Wycombe Wanderers this weekend, but he is mulling over a place on the bench tomorrow for the winger as well as striker Gustav Lindgren and right-back Carl Johnston who are also on the way back from injury.

Posh are chasing a third straight League One win for the first time this season, but Ferguson is expecting a tough test against a robust, hard-working Blackpool team. The Seasiders lost for the first time in 12 League One games at Stockport County on Saturday, but eight of the 11 unbeaten matches were drawn.

"They’re obviously very difficult to beat,” Ferguson said. “They are well-organised, they have a very good manager in Steve Bruce and we will have to match their workrate to have a chance of winning. The players have set some high standards in the last three games, but it’s important we now don’t drop below them. Last week was important, but this week is arguably more important and that’s the message we have drummed into the players repeatedly.

"Apart from a bad five minutes at Wrexham we have controlled possession in the last two away games and I want more of that. We have started creating lots of chances again and momentum is a big thing in football.

"I’m also pleased we didn’t exert ourselves too much physically at the weekend as we played against 10 men for the entire game. I have no concerns on that score, but we also have players coming back.

"Carl Johnston trained on the grass yesterday so there’s a decision to be made with him as there is with Kwame and Gustav. We played Kwame in an in-house game on Friday just so he could reassure himself the injury has cleared up. If he was involved tomorrow he would get very limited game time, but if we get another good week into him he could start against Wycombe.

“I’ve been very happy with those who have been playing though. Lots of them have come back into the side like James Dornelly. Mo Susoho and Brad Ihionvien and they’ve done well. We will need everyone for the run-in.”