With their League One status at risk, Peterborough United will travel to take on Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium on Saturday.
The Boro come into the clash looking to end a three-game losing streak and may be low on confidence, while the Posh are just three points above the drop zone and will be desperate to avoid defeat at the very least.
Match preview
Alex Revell's Stevenage started 2025 with just one loss from their opening seven games, and even had a run of four consecutive victories between the end of January and the start of February.
However, the Boro have since been eliminated from the EFL Trophy and suffered back-to-back defeats in League One, where they are now 13th in the table with 40 points.
Last time out, Revell's side were disappointingly beaten 3-1 by relegation candidates Crawley Town, who took all three points late on when Armando Quitirna and Kamari Doyle scored in a smash-and-grab victory.
Looking to bounce back from their poor stretch, Saturday's hosts will need to draw on the home crowd at the Lamex Stadium, where they have lost just twice in the league since October.
This weekend, Stevenage will be up against a side that have struggled so far this season, but they must be wary of their visitors' desperation after all of the teams in the relegation zone made a strong start to 2025.
Meanwhile, Darren Ferguson's Peterborough have continued their bizarrely inconsistent season by alternating between losses and wins across their last five matches in all competitions.
Most recently, the Posh lost 2-1 on the road to promotion hopefuls Charlton Athletic, though they did have Emmanuel Fernandez sent off with more than half an hour to play and managed to hold out until the Addicks' Macaulay Gillesphey scored in the 88th minute.
That loss may have been disappointing for Saturday's visitors but it was not entirely unexpected given their awful record away from London Road that features 10 losses and one draw in the league since late September.
In the reverse fixture, Ferguson's side got the better of Stevenage in a 2-1 victory back in October, though the boss will not be confident of a positive result this time around considering that his team will be travelling to the Lamex Stadium with the leakiest defence in the division.
That being said, Peterborough will be up against one of the bluntest offensive clubs in League One this weekend, and they may be able to lean on their own attacking output to fire them away from the relegation zone if they can keep tight at the back.
Team News
Stevenage right-back Kane Smith made a comeback from injury against Crawley, and Revell is likely to select him once again as part of a defence featuring Dan Sweeney, Carl Piergianni and Dan Freestone.
Up top, Brandon Hanlan netted his team's only goal against the Red Devils, and he could get the nod over Louis Appere on Saturday, with Dan Kemp providing support from an attacking midfield position.
As for Peterborough, they will be without centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez after his dismissal last time out, so expect youngster George Nevett to start alongside Sam Hughes and Oscar Wallin in the backline.
Further forward, striker Gustav Lindgren was taken off with an injury against Charlton, and Malik Mothersille is likely to take his place in the XI this weekend.
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Mahoney; Smith, Sweeney, Piergianni, Freestone; Phillips, Thompson; Roberts, Kemp, Reid; Hanlan
Peterborough United possible starting lineup:
Steer; Johnston, Wallin, Hughes, Nevett, Edun; Kyprianou, Susoho, Collins; Jones, Mothersille
We say: Stevenage 1-1 Peterborough United
Stevenage have been in poor form in recent weeks, but Peterborough have a shocking record away from home this season.
The Boro are likely to score given the Posh have conceded the most goals in the league, but the visitors can also be expected to find the back of the net in a score draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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