Why Peterborough United have had to put a fitness plan in place for Oscar Wallin

Posh manager Darren Ferguson has been trying to manage the minutes played by Wallin as he adapts to the greater intensity of English football compared to the sport in his homeland. The 23 year-old played half a season in the Swedish second tier before moving to Posh in August. He’s started 11 of the 12 League One games so far this season though, missing only the midweek defeat at Wigan Athletic.

Ferguson was planning to leave Wallin out of Tuesday’s home League One game with Blackpool, but Saturday’s red card for Emmanuel Fernandez, and subsequent one-match suspension, means he is likely to stay in the side where he will probably be joined by teenager George Nevett. After Posh went down to 10 men Wallin was withdrawn before the end of the weekend 3-1 loss at Wycombe Wanderers to help protect him ahead of tomorrow’s match.

“Oscar has actually come out of Saturday’s game better than we expected,” Ferguson said. “He has been suffering from muscle cramps, something he also experienced before joining us, so we have wanted to manage his minutes. We do have a plan in place for him. At 3-1 down on Saturday I started thinking about the Blackpool game which is why I took Oscar and Kwame Poku off, while also giving minutes to others who needed them.”

Wingers Cian Hayes and Abraham Odoh came off the bench late at Adams Park as did Nevett who is now expected to start a Football League game for just the second time on Tuesday.