Third tier giants Sunderland visit the Weston Homes Stadium on Easter Monday (April 5, 3pm kick off) for what promises to be a decisive battle in the race for automatic promotion.
The Wearsiders have been transformed by the arrival of former Bristol City manager Lee Johnson and they’ve already secured one prize by lifting the Papa John’s Trophy at Wembley earlier this month. They celebrated that triumph - a 1-0 win over League Two side Tranmere Rovers - like a side who hadn’t won much for 48 years and they’re now hungry to complete a famous double by securing promotion back to the Championship.
The big game will be televised live on Sky Sports.
Posh have 10 League One matches remaining and crucially six are at home, including four of the last six. Posh still have other promotion rivals, Doncaster (twice), Lincoln, Gillingham and Charlton to play, but given the current form of the first two, they might be less significant matches when they arrive on the calendar.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson must also prepare his side for matches against relegation-battlers Swindon and Northampton next month.
The remaining fixtures of of all the promotion contenders are listed here. Portsmouth and Ipswich Town, who are both under new managers look to have the easiest run-ins, along with Oxford United.
Posh and Sunderland arguably have the hardest, putting even more emphasis on the Easter Monday showdown.
Here’s how we think the final table will look...
. Sunderland v Peterborough United 260920
Posh v Sunderland on Easter Monday will be key fixture.
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ACCRINGTON STANLEY: Current postion 12th. Current points: 53. Games remaining: 11. v Posh (away) L, v Burton (home) W, v Oxford (away) L, v Wimbledon (home) W, v Blackpool (away) L, Rochdale (away) D, v Doncaster (home) L, v Sunderland (away) L, v Portsmouth (home) D, v Charlton (home) D, Portsmouth (away) L. Predicted points 62. Predicted position 12th. Can't see them lasting the pace.
1.
ACCRINGTON STANLEY: Current postion 12th. Current points: 53. Games remaining: 11. v Posh (away) L, v Burton (home) W, v Oxford (away) L, v Wimbledon (home) W, v Blackpool (away) L, Rochdale (away) D, v Doncaster (home) L, v Sunderland (away) L, v Portsmouth (home) D, v Charlton (home) D, Portsmouth (away) L. Predicted points 62. Predicted position 12th. Can't see them lasting the pace.
2.
GILLINGHAM: Current position: 9th. Current points: 54. Games remaining: 9. v Hull (away) L v Wigan (home) W v Blackpool (away) D v Shrewsbury (home) D v Oxford (away) L v Posh (away) L v Northampton (home) W v Burton (away) D v Plymouth (home) W Predicted points: 66. Predicted position: 11th. The Gills have had a great run, but it’s tough to see them keeping it up. Too many tough away games to come.
3.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC: Current position: 7th. Current points: 56. Games remaining: 9. v Doncaster (away) D v Lincoln (home) D v Sunderland (away) D v Ipswich (home) W v Plymouth (away) W v Posh (home) W v Crewe (home) W v Accrington (away) D v Hull (home) W. Predicted points: 75. Predicted position: 10th. If they can emerge unscathed from the next four matches they can push hard for a top-six finish, but they will fail.
4.
OXFORD UNITED: Current position: 11th. Current points: 53. Games remaining: 10. v Lincoln (home) D v Sunderland (away) L v Accrington (home) W v Crewe (away) W v Shrewsbury (home) W v Gillingham (home) W v Wimbledon (away) W v Plymouth (home) W v Shrewsbury (away) L v Burton (home) W. Predicted points: 75. Predicted finish: 9th. Get through the next two games well and Oxford could fancy a play-off spot again.