Preview: Peterborough United vs. Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

High-scoring Peterborough United are acceptable to big promotion hopefuls Barnsley astatine Weston Homes Stadium connected Sunday successful League One.

The Posh travel into this weekend's clash successful mediocre signifier having mislaid their past 2 games, portion the Tykes volition person gained immoderate assurance from their comeback triumph implicit rivals Bolton Wanderers connected Boxing Day.

Match preview

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Darren Ferguson's Peterborough are presently 17th successful League One, having picked up 24 points from their 21 games truthful far.

These numbers spot the Posh conscionable 5 points supra Crawley Town successful the relegation zone, a presumption that stands successful stark opposition to their exceptional tally of 38 goals scored this season, the 2nd astir of immoderate squad successful the division.

However, Ferguson's broadside person besides conceded a proportional 40 goals, and lone 23rd-placed Shrewsbury Town – who moved disconnected the bottommost of the array connected Boxing Day – person conceded more, with 41.

In fact, Peterborough person not kept a azygous cleanable expanse successful League One this campaign, and fixed that apical scorer Kwame Poku is retired until March, Sunday's hosts volition request to tighten up astatine the backmost if they are to debar slipping further down the table.

The Posh person besides tasted decision successful six of their past 8 league games, including a 3-0 nonaccomplishment against Mansfield Town past clip out.

Notably, the lone 2 matches that Peterborough did not suffer successful those 8 matches were some against teams successful the relegation places – a 4-3 triumph implicit Crawley Town connected December 14 and a 6-1 thrashing of Cambridge United connected November 9.

This weekend, Ferguson's broadside volition beryllium up against a squad that are pushing for promotion this season, and it volition beryllium a large situation for them to debar a 3rd consecutive defeat.

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Meanwhile, Darrell Clarke's Barnsley are seventh successful League One, and are 1 constituent down Reading successful the playoff spots with 33 points from their 22 games to date.

Like their hosts, the visitors are not successful the strongest form, though theirs has been much mixed than mediocre fixed they person won 2 of their past 5 league matches.

As portion of this inconsistency, Barnsley person a immense disparity successful their location and distant results this season, and person registered 7 distant wins but conscionable 2 astatine home.

Their past 2 games assistance to item this contrast, arsenic the Tykes showed large determination to travel from down to bushed Bolton 2-1 connected the roadworthy past clip retired yet were connected the receiving extremity of a 4-0 thrashing astatine location by Leyton Orient connected December 21.

One antagonistic trait that Clarke's broadside stock with their hosts is their antiaircraft weakness, thing that is wide to spot erstwhile considering that they past kept a league cleanable expanse successful their 2-0 triumph implicit Rotherham United successful aboriginal November.

On the different hand, Barnsley person scored 31 goals this term, a fig lone bettered by the Posh extracurricular of the apical six, and fixed their opponents' frailty astatine the back, that violative prowess could gain them 3 points connected Sunday.

Peterborough United League One form:

Peterborough United signifier (all competitions):

Barnsley League One form:

Barnsley signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Peterborough volition beryllium without teenage centre-back George Nevett aft helium picked up a reddish paper against Mansfield Town connected Boxing Day, and Emmanuel Fernandez should enactment up alongside Jadel Katongo astatine the bosom of defence connected Sunday.

Elsewhere, the Posh proceed to beryllium without apical scorer Kwame Poku, who picked up a large hamstring wounded against Burton Albion earlier this month.

In his absence, expect Ricky-Jade Jones to beryllium supported successful the guardant enactment by Malik Mothersille and Cian Hayes.

As for Barnsley, midfielder Adam Phillips missed his side's games against Exeter City and Orient earlier this period done suspension and the request for exigency dental enactment respectively, but helium did people connected his instrumentality to the XI against Bolton.

This weekend, helium is apt to beryllium paired successful the mediate of the parkland with Luca Connell, who came backmost from unwellness past clip out.

Peterborough United imaginable starting lineup:
Bilokapic; Dornelly, Fernandez, Katongo, Mills; De Havilland, Collins; Hayes, Randall, Mothersille; Jones

We say: Peterborough United 1-2 Barnsley

Both sides person proven themselves to beryllium beardown offensively and anemic successful defence, truthful it is improbable that either broadside volition support a cleanable expanse this weekend.

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