Peterborough United vs Middlesbrough

A look ahead to Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship fixture with Middlesbrough.

Peterborough United welcome Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough to the Weston Homes Stadium in Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday afternoon (3pm) with Grant McCann’s men looking to build on the 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers ahead of the international break.

A brace from Jonson Clarke-Harris and a superb strike from Jack Marriott secured all three points against the Hoops, while Boro will hope to take the positives from their Emirates FA Cup run and end the campaign strongly with a play-off spot very much in their sights.

TEAM NEWS

Posh are without the services of Dan Butler, Nathan Thompson and Joel Randall to injury and this week have lost the services of on-loan goalkeeper Steven Benda who has broken a finger in training and been ruled out for four weeks.

Ronnie Edwards played twice for England under 19s over the international break, but has now tested positive for Covid-19 and is unlikely to recover in time for the game. Kyle Barker is also on the treatment table and has tested positive for the virus while Oliver Norburn has been sent for a scan on a knee injury sustained on international duty.

Ricky-Jade Jones has returned to training after a shoulder injury, while Clarke-Harris has completed the concussion protocols and recovered from a dead leg. Middlesbrough are expected to go into the game with no fresh injury worries with Aaron Connolly expected to lead the line.

FROM THE GAFFER

“I have a lot of respect for Chris Wilder. He did a wonderful job at Sheffield United and he is already getting his ideas across at Middlesbrough. They play in a similar style, they like to get their wing-backs high and they want their centre backs to join in. I watched them against Birmingham a few weeks back and they are a strong side, but it will be two teams going at it, both teams have got plenty to play for and that should make a good game,” McCann said.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale at www.theposhtickets.com and via the Weston Homes Stadium Box Office. Middlesbrough have sold out of the away allocation of nearly 3,800 and will occupy the Deskgo Stand and the A and B blocks of the North Stand.

POSH+

International viewers can watch on Posh+ for £10 with audio options only for domestic subscribers priced at £2.50.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The match referee is Thomas Bramall.

Posh beaten 4-0 by Middlesbrough at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Manager Grant McCann described his team’s second half display as ‘unrecognisable’ as Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough side recorded a 4-0 victory over Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Jonson Clarke-Harris fired wide with his left-foot on five minutes after an error from Dael Fry as Posh tried to make a positive start against a Middlesbrough side who arrived at the Weston Homes Stadium in good form under Chris Wilder.

Aaron Connolly, on-loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, diverted a cross wide of the near post with his head on 19 minutes as the visitors came close to the opening goal of the game. Posh were a whisker away from the breakthrough at the other end though as a poor clearance from Lumley was latched upon by Marriott, his first time left-footed effort from the halfway line was cleared off the line by the retreating McNair.

Emmanuel Fernandez, on his league debut, connected well with a volley from a half-cleared set-piece on 23 minutes, but it was straight at keeper Lumley. However, on 26 minutes, the visitors opened the scoring and it was a superb strike from Marcus TAVERNIER, who whipped a left-footed effort, first time past Cornell and into the back of the net.

Frankie Kent was cautioned for a foul by referee Leigh Doughty as the clock ticked towards the half hour mark. Knight was well placed to clear off the line moments later as there was confusion at the back for Posh, Crooks with the eventual effort blocked.

Knight was cautioned for a foul as Wilder’s men tried to break at pace on 34 minutes. A clever pass from Clarke-Harris picked out Szmodics on 39 minutes, but he couldn’t stretch enough to flick the ball over the ball over the keeper.

Clarke-Harris saw a shot on the turn from a corner blocked as Posh pushed for an equaliser before the half-time interval. Grant McCann made a change at the break with Ricky-Jade Jones replacing Clarke-Harris in attack.

Szmodics fired over from 25-yards on the half volley on 47 minutes, moments after he had appeared to be dragged down in the box, but referee Leigh Doughty didn’t see it that way. The visitors doubled the lead on 48 minutes as a right-wing centre was tapped home at the far post by BALOGUN.

Marriott fired wide on the half volley on 55 minutes as Posh tried to find a way back into the contest against a confident Boro side. Posh made a double stop on the hour with Kwame Poku and Jorge Grant replacing Taylor and Fernandez.

The visitors made it 3-0 on 82 minutes as substitute Josh COBURN kneed the ball over the line from close-range after good work down the left hand side from Watmore. Middlesbrough made it four with two minutes remaining as substitute WATMORE latched onto a defensive error and rifled a shot into the roof of the net.

Posh: Cornell, Kent, Szmodics, Taylor (sub Poku 61min), Clarke-Harris (sub Jones 46min), Knight, Marriott, Burrows, Ward, Fernandez (sub Grant 61min), Fuchs. Unused subs: Blackmore, Edwards, Brown, Mumba.

Middlesbrough: Lumley, Dijksteel, Fry, Tavernier, Howson, McNair, Crooks, Connolly (sub Coburn 74min), Bola, Jones (sub Peltier 85min), Balogun (sub Watmore 67min). Unused subs: Daniels, Sporar, Bamba, McGree

Half-time: Peterborough United 0-1 Middlesbrough
Full-time: Peterborough United 0-4 Middlesbrough
Attendance: 11,757 (3,708 Middlesbrough fans)
Referee: Leigh Doughty

Timeline

Match stats

Matchday live