Match Preview: Peterborough United vs Charlton Athletic
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Fixture: Peterborough United vs Charlton Athletic
Competition: League One
Kick-off: 15.00 UK Time
While the world focuses on international games, League One fans will be served a mouth watering clash today when Charlton Athletic and Peterborough United square off at London Road this afternoon.
Both teams are coming into the game with excellent form; while Charlton are boasting only one defeat in last 13 league games, Peterborough are undefeated in the last seven games and their last defeat came at the hands of the Addicks in midweek fixture in February at the Valley.
Even though the Addicks had a difficult start to the season, they have improved under Nathan Jones’ leadership, losing only three league games since December and putting themselves in the running for promotion. Charlton are now in fourth place in the league table with 66 points from 37 games and they are only five points short of the last automatic playoff slot occupied by Wycombe Wanderers.
Darren Ferguson’s side have also picked up their form in recent months but that cannot hide how poor they have been this season as they are only six points off the relegation zone. The Posh’s recent form might have steered them away from the drop zone but with nine more games remaining they are not clear of the relegation threat.
Both Charlton and Peterborough have a lot at stake going into the weekend’s clash as the hope for automatic promotion is in Jones’ head and Ferguson thinks of putting a healthy gap between his team and Burton Albion, sitting in 21st place in the table.
Charlton might have got the best of Peterborough at the Valley but in the recent history of the fixture Ferguson’s team have come up with results and which they will look to do again in front of the London Road faithful.
Recent Form (league)
Peterborough United: WDDWW
Charlton Athletic: WWDWW
Predicted Teams
Key Men
Peterborough United
Peterborough will want to control midfield to take the game to Charlton and their summer signing from Chelsea, Malik Mothersille, will need to play a key part to help his team do so. The 21-year-old is in brilliant form with 16 goal contributions and he scored against the Addicks at the Valley in February. Ferguson will depend on the young man’s creativity to hurt Charlton’s solid defence.
The Posh’s defensive game will need to be on point and they will depend on Sam Hughes to step up and lead Ferguson’s backline. The Stockport County loanee has played a key part in helping Peterborough keep three clean sheets in last five games and will need to be called upon to so Saturday facing Charlton’s attack.
Charlton Athletic
Matty Godden will return to his former hunting ground London Road after leaving the club in 2019 and he is a man in form at the moment. Charlton fans will be hoping that Godden could show his in box shrewdness to help them secure three points.
Lloyd Jones is someone who the Addicks will depend on to secure their goal. The former Liverpool academy product has been a wall at the back for Charlton since his return from his injury in December and the Addicks have lost only three times in the league since his return.
Prediction
Both Charlton and Peterborough have been good in front of the opposition goal, but the Posh will be concerned with their defensive record which has seen them conceding 60 goals so far which is third worst in the league. Ferguson’s side will also miss Tayo Edun due to his red card suspension, and he has been brilliant for them since joining in January from Charlton.
Charlton will have the upper hand in the game despite playing away from home. However, Jones’ side have only won seven away games out of their last 18, whereas Peterborough are undefeated in their last five games at London Road while securing the majority of their points at home.
Peterborough will also miss their captain Hector Kyprianou as he will be away on international duty for Cyprus and Ferguson might have to trust on young Manchester City loanee Mahamadou Susoho to fill up the gap.
The Addicks will be desperate to win this one to keep their automatic promotion hopes ticking and will look for a quick start against Peterborough but the Posh have to be careful throughout the game as Jones side are notorious for securing late goals this season. Ferguson, who has not lost a league game against Charlton at home as Peterborough manager in his career, will be looking to maintain the record and they will look to keep themselves tidy at the back and build on it going forward to hurt Jones’ side.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
This could be a feisty affair between two sides having much at stake for both teams. We think that Charlton will come out victorious by a 2-1 scoreline.
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