Posh have no fear of an in-form side Charlton side

Charlton Athletic are top of the third tier form guide over the last six and eight matches, and on Tuesday they equalled a club record Football League away win, 6-0 at Plymouth Argyle.

That rout returned the Addicks to a play-off place and with four of their last five matches at the Valley they will be confident of staying there, even if their home form is amongst the worst in the division (six wins and seven defeats in 19 games).

Posh go into the match on the back of a frustrating midweek home defeat at the hands of Gillingham, but they remain second in the table and that won’t change no matter the result at the Valley.

“We have four tough matches left as far as I’m concerned,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson said. “And this is just the first of them. It’s Charlton away and that’s always a hard game no matter what sort of form they are in and no matter where they are in the table.

“But we are where we are in the table for a reason. That’s how good we have been in the first 42 matches and that’s what I will be reminding the players about, rather than dwelling on one bad result on Tuesday night.

“We are still in a very good place with four matches to go. We look fine physically. We were still running hard at the end of Tuesday’s game.

“I’ve had a good look at Charlton and one good thing about them winning 6-0 is I don’t have to spend any time wondering what team they will pick as I assume they won’t change anything!

“Charlton have appointed a very experienced manager (Nigel Adkins) and they have good players so it’s a hard game for sure.”

Posh beat Charlton 2-1 in a stormy game at the Weston Homes Stadium in January thanks to two goals from Sammie Szmodics when the Londoners were managed by Lee Bowyer.

But that is one of only two wins from eight matches Posh have achieved against teams currently in the top six.

Posh midfielder Reece Brown could miss the Charlton trip after limping out of the Gillingham game with a hamstring problem.

If Brown is absent Ethan Hamilton or Louis Reed would replace him alongside Jack Taylor in central midfield.

Posh may well start the match at the Valley with wing-backs and three centre-backs.