The form, remaining fixtures, positives and negatives of Peterborough United and their relegation rivals. Can Posh get out of trouble?

Peterborough United gave supporters a glimmer of hope that Championship relegation could still be avoided by delivering a fine performance in a 1-1 draw at high fliers Bournemouth on Tuesday (March 8).
Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh have just completed their two toughest remaining Championship fixtures at top three sides Huddersfield and Bournemouth and actually moved a point closer to safety, as well as using up their game in hand.

It’s obviously perm any three from Grant McCann’s men, Derby County, Reading and Barnsley for the drop and has been for some time with Posh red hot favourites to go down (1/16 with Sky Bet!) as they have a seven-point gap to bridge (effectively eight points given a terrible goal difference) and three teams to overtake.

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Never say never though and is it possible a May miracle could happen and Posh stay up on the final day of the season by beating Blackpool at the Weston Homes Stadium?

Reading manager Paul Ince. Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images.Reading manager Paul Ince. Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images.
Reading manager Paul Ince. Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images.

Here is our assessment of Posh and their relegation rivals, the remaining fixtures of all four clubs under threat and their chances of survival.

READING

Current position: 21st. Current points: 29. Games to go 11 (with predictions) v Forest (a) L, v Bournemouth (a) L, v Blackburn (h) D, v Barnsley (a) D, v Stoke (h) W, v Cardiff (h) D, v Sheff Utd (a) L, v Swansea (h) W, v Hull (a) W, v West Brom (h) L, v Luton (a) L,

Positives

Derby County star Tom Lawrence. Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images.Derby County star Tom Lawrence. Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images.
Derby County star Tom Lawrence. Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images.

Striker Lucas Joao missed the first four months of the season. Since returning he has six goals in 11 starts. He is the best forward in the camps of the relegation rivals by some distance.

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Reading score goals. Their tally of 42 is bettered by only two teams in the bottom half of the table. It is six goals more than Derby have managed and 17 more that Posh and Barnsley.

NEGATIVES

They appointed Paul Ince as manager last month. It’s his first managerial job for eight years and his career probably peaked 14 years ago at MK Dons.

Barnsley striker Carlton Morris. (Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images).Barnsley striker Carlton Morris. (Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images).
Barnsley striker Carlton Morris. (Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images).

They concede too many goals. Their tally of 68 conceded is only two fewer than Posh and 29 more than Derby and even 17 more than Barnsley.

Summary: Tough run of games coming up before a big trip to Barnsley could drag the Royals back into deep trouble.

DERBY COUNTY

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Current position: 22nd. Current Points: 24. Games to go: 10 v Bournemouth (a) L, v Blackburn (a) L, v Coventry (h) W, v Preston (h) W, v Swansea (a) D, v Fulham (h) L, v QPR (a) D, v Bristol City (h) W, v Blackpool (a) W, v Cardiff (h) W.

Positives

The Rams have great goodwill behind them as they attempt to escape despite 21 penalty points. Their last three matches look very winnable.

The Pride Park crowd is almost worth a goal start. Derby have lost just three games at home all season.

They have one of the Championship’s better attacking players in Tom Lawrence. He missed three games after getting sent off against Posh and Derby lost them all while scoring only once. He’s back now.

Negatives

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Derby don’t have a reliable goalscoring striker. Lawrence is their top scorer with nine goals, Centre-back Curtis Davies is next best with four.

Summary: Strong home form and a friendly finish to the season could be huge advantages for Wayne Ronney’s side.

BARNSLEY

Current position: 23rd. Current points: 24. Games to go 11: v Fulham (h) L, v Bristol C (h) W, v Sheff Utd (a) L, v Reading (h) D, v Millwall (a) L, v Swansea (a) L, v Posh (h) D, v Huddersfield (a) L, v Blackpool (h) W, v Preston (h) W, v West Brom (a) L.

Positives

They have the best current form over the last six games than their relegation rivals (10 points) so they suddenly have hope of a great escape. Even Carlton Morris started scoring.

They still have Reading and Posh to play at home.

Negatives

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Morris is their joint top scorer with four goals the same as Cauley Woodrow who hasn’t played since December 11. They have a manager unused to English football.

Summary: Some tough away games could see the Tykes struggle.

POSH

Current position: 24th. Current points: 22. Games to go 11: v Stoke (h) W, v Swansea (h) W, v QPR (a) D, v Middlesbrough (h) L, v Luton (h) D, v Bristol City (a) D, v Blackburn (h) D, v Barnsley (a) D, v Forest (h) L, v Millwall (a) L, v Blackpool (h) W

Positives

Seven of their 11 remaining Championship matches are at home where they have been less bad this season.

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They have games against teams who will have very little to play for including Stoke, Swansea, Bristol City and Blackpool. They still have Barnsley to play and star midfielder Jack Taylor is back.

Negatives

Posh have scored just one home goal in the Championship since beating Millwall 2-1 on December 11 so seven home games might not count for a lot.

Posh have the worst current form of any of the bottom four and the games against Middlesbrough, Forest and Millwall can probably, on current form, be written off.

The Barnsley game is away and Taylor could well get injured again.

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Summary: I can see Posh becoming harder to beat, but without winning enough games to get them safe.

Predicted bottom 4

21st: Derby 41pts (survive on goal difference), 22nd: Reading 41pts, 23rd: Posh 36pts, 24th Barnsley: 35pts.