Posh manager calls for a 'united' effort as the play-off pressure increases

Ronnie Edwards (left) is back in the Posh matchday squad. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Three League One wins in a row has moved Posh to within a point of the play-off positions. A fourth win in succession for the first time this season would definitely lift them into the top six as rivals Bolton Wanderers are involved in the EFL Trophy Final this weekend.

Ferguson has no injury issues to deal with ahead of Saturday’s home game with Oxford United (3pm), although on-loan centre-back Kell Watts will test his recovery from a serious hamstring injury in an Under 21 fixture against Watford at Vicarage Road on Friday (1pm).

Midfielder Hector Kyprianou trained on Thursday after taking an injection in his troublesome ankle so could be involved and teenage centre-back Ronnie Edwards is back from England Under 20 duty and available.

"We’re in a good place,” Ferguson said. “We’re in good form, we look strong and we have no injury problems.

"We are certainly in a much healthier position compared to three weeks ago. No-one can look at the table now and deny we have a chance of making the play-offs.

"But a chance is all it is at the moment. We need to really stick together now as a club. As a team we need to make sure we get the basics right.

"If we do that then the talent we have in the team can influence the result. We have to be at it from the first whistle and not just for the second half like last week.

"From the outside people will look in and expect us to win tomorrow, but I don’t see it like that. We will only win if our attitude is spot on and we play well.

"It’s not just the 11 who start or the substitutes though. Those players not in the squad will be important and our fans can play their part as well.

"The supporters have been great since I came back and it’s important they stick with us even through the inevitable difficult patches you get in every game. Our players deifinitely feed off the crowd. They did last weekend, but it’s up to us to dictate that atmosphere though.

"It could be a very tricky game tomorrow. Oxford have a new manager who has had two weeks now to work with his team. They will be fighting for their lives so we have to be wary of that.”

Oxford have not won any of their last 11 League One matches, nine of which have been lost.