Peterborough United and Exeter City will go head-to-head on Tuesday in their rearranged round 26 League One clash, with the hosts aiming to extend their impressive record in this fixture.
The match was initially scheduled for January 11 but was postponed due to both sides' FA Cup commitments.
Match preview
© Imago
Peterborough will be eager to leverage home advantage and inject some life into what has been a disappointing league campaign so far compared to the previous one.
After securing playoff spots in the past two League One seasons, the Posh currently languish in 19th place, just six points clear of the relegation zone after 25 matches.
Darren Ferguson's side has managed seven wins, five draws, and 13 losses this term, with only two victories in their last 12 league outings, and their most recent result was a goalless draw against Leyton Orient on Saturday.
However, a 4-2 triumph over Walsall in the EFL Trophy's third round stands as a rare highlight in recent weeks, keeping alive their hopes of defending the title they won last season.
Peterborough will be optimistic heading into this match, having historically dominated Exeter in this fixture – the Posh have won eight of the 15 previous meetings, losing just three, and triumphed in the last two encounters.
Notably, when these sides met earlier this season, Peterborough came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory—their last away win of the campaign.
© Imago
Exeter City, meanwhile, are also enduring a tough spell, with a four-game winless run in the league, including three consecutive losses.
The high of their 3-1 FA Cup victory over Championship outfit Oxford United on January 11 has since been tempered by a narrow 1-0 defeat to Birmingham on Saturday.
The Grecians sit 16th in the standings with 31 points, closely mirroring their finishes of 13th and 14th in the past two seasons, but a win on Tuesday could rekindle their faint playoff aspirations, narrowing the gap to seven points.
However, history is not on their side, having never won at the Weston Homes Stadium, managing just one draw in seven visits, and adding to their concerns is that they have lost their last two away fixtures.
Team News
© Imago
Ferguson handed starting roles to new defensive loan signings Tayo Edun from Charlton Athletic and Sam Hughes from Stockport County, with the pair helping the team secure their first League One clean sheet of the season.
The hosts continue to contend with several injury setbacks, with Kwame Poku, Jed Steer, Rio Adebisi and Bradley Ihionvien all sidelined – however, Harley Mills is available for selection after serving a three-match suspension.
Exeter City, on the other hand, have just one player unavailable: Jack McMilan, who was sent off deep in stoppage time against Birmingham, and is consequently suspended for this clash.
With Tristan Crama's recall by parent club Brentford, the door has opened for Ed Francis to cement his place in the back three after stepping in to fill that role last time out.
Millenic Alli, who leads the team with five league goals, will spearhead the attack as the visitors look to end their barren run at this venue.
Peterborough United possible starting lineup:
Bilokapic; Johnston, Hughes, Fernandez, Edun; Kyprianou, Collins; Hayes, Conn-Clarke, Mothersille; Lindgren
Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Whitworth; Fitzwater, Francis, McDonalds; McMillan, Richards, Woods, Harper; Mitchell, Watts; Alli
We say: Peterborough United 1-0 Exeter City
Peterborough's strong home record in this fixture suggests they may edge this contest, especially with their new defensive solidity, and when this is considered alongside Exeter's away struggles, we are looking at a likely home win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
