This Week's Opposition: Peterborough United

Photo Credit: Peterborough United

After back-to-back victories to begin the reign of John Mousinho at Portsmouth, this weekend offers the new head coach’s toughest challenge yet - Peterborough United the opponents!

The Blues were 2-0 victors over Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium in midweek, thanks to goals either side of the break from Colby Bishop and Joe Pigott.

It’s back on the road just days later for Pompey, who travel to London Road, home of The Posh.

MANAGER

Guess who’s back… No, seriously… Darren Ferguson is once again the man at the helm of Peterborough United.

The 50-year-old son of legendary gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson returned for what is now his 4th spell in charge of the club earlier this month, succeeding Grant McCann in the dugout at London Road.

Ferguson had first represented The Posh as a manager when he was appointed in 2007, leaving 2 years later by mutual consent after a run of bad results.

In all fairness to the Scotsman, he has won promotion from League One with Peterborough in each of his previous 3 stints with the club, twice as runners-up and once through the lottery of the Play-Offs.

Overall, Darren Ferguson has taken charge of 518 games as Peterborough manager, winning 228.

ONE TO WATCH

Promising winger Ephorn Mason-Clark is certainly one to keep a close eye on this weekend.

The 23-year-old joined The Posh on a 3-year contract for an undisclosed fee from Barnet back in August, despite reported interest from Danny Cowley when he was in charge of Pompey.

Mason-Clark has been involved in 18 league matches so far this term, contributing to 4 goals and 3 assists - 2 of those goals came in his most recent appearance for the club, bagging a brace in their 2-0 win at Port Vale on January the 16th.

TOP SCORER

Unsurprisingly, Jonson Clarke-Harris leads the way in front of goal at this stage of the season.

The striker, who joined Peterborough from Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2020, has so far claimed 13 league goals since the start of the campaign, as well as 2 in the Papa John’s Trophy.

In his last full season in League One, Clarke-Harris won the top goalscorer award for the division, netting 31 goals across 45 league appearances for The Posh, 6 more than runner-up Charlie Wyke, who then represented Sunderland.

CURRENT FORM

Peterborough have only been in action twice in 2023, compared to the 6 games Pompey have featured in since the turn of the year.

Their last match was away at Port Vale on the 16th of January, a game they won by 2 goals to nil.

Prior to that victory in Darren Ferguson’s first game back in charge, their form had been on the decline, picking up just 1 win in their previous 7 league outings - A run which ultimately led to the sacking of Grant McCann.

Currently, The Posh sit 8th in League One, having accumulated 38 points from their opening 25 matches.

They are 5 points adrift of the Play-Off places and just 1 point ahead of Portsmouth, having played the same amount of games.

So can The Blues pick up their 3rd league win on the bounce?

You can catch all of the unmissable action as John Mousinho bids to maintain his 100% record in charge of Portsmouth, when Pompey Live returns from 2pm on Saturday the 28th of January with Robbie James, Jake Smith and Jay Sadler reporting from London Road - Kick-off: 3pm!