Posh make the long journey to the Memorial Stadium to face Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

Peterborough United travel to the Memorial Stadium to face Bristol Rovers in Sky Bet League One action on Saturday (3pm) and with both sides just outside of the automatic promotion places in the league table it promises to be an absorbing encounter.

Posh go into the contest on the back of a 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers while the Pirates have had an interesting week to say the least. A hugely impressive 2-1 win at Ipswich Town was followed by the news that manager Graham Coughlan wanted to leave the club.

Less than 48 hours later and he had been appointed as boss of League Two side Mansfield Town. An FA Cup second round replay at Plymouth Argyle was on the agenda on Tuesday evening and a professional display earned a 1-0 victory under the caretaker stewardship of Joe Dunne.

Less than 48 hours later and Dunne himself was subject of an approach from Mansfield Town. Rovers have yet to confirm who will be in the dugout for the clash with Posh, but despite all of that, it is their displays on the pitch that count and Rovers are in superb form.

TEAM NEWS

Posh have a host if injury worries to contend with ahead of the fixture with Siriki Dembele, Nathan Thompson, Josh Knight, George Boyd and Frazer Blake-Tracy all ruled out although Boyd and Blake-Tracy have yet to be ruled out of the Boxing Day fixture with Doncaster Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Bristol Rovers are waiting on the fitness of striker Jonson Clarke-Harris who has been missing in recent weeks due to injury. The former Posh front man is the club’s leading goalscorer. Tom Nichols, another former Posh man, could lead the line.

FROM THE GAFFER

“The departure of their manager shouldn’t have too much of an impact on them in the short term because the majority of the coaching staff remain. They are well drilled, organised and very hard to beat, particularly at home so it will be a tough place to go, as it always is. We have to concentrate on how we can impact the game,” Darren Ferguson said.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale until 2pm on Friday at www.theposhtickets.com, via the Ticketmaster hotline 0844 847 1934 (calls cost 7ppm plus your network access fee) and in person at the Weston Homes Stadium Box Office. The game is not all-ticket. Posh had sold 215 tickets in advance.

KIT COLOURS

Posh will be in the away kit for this game.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The match referee is John Busby.