Preview: Burton Albion vs. Peterborough United - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors trail the automatic promotion spots by five points with a game in hand on second-placed Bolton Wanderers, while their hosts have dropped back into the fight at the bottom of the division amid a difficult run of form.

Match preview

Burton Albion return to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday with the aim of picking up crucial points in their bid to achieve League One survival this term, having dropped back down to 18th spot in recent weeks.

Martin Paterson took the reins in mid-January with the Brewers sat on 28 points from 26 matches, and following a mixed start to his tenure, the Midlands outfit took major steps to maintaining their third-tier status with back-to-back away wins in February, beating Bristol Rovers and Leyton Orient 2-1 with Ciaran Gilligan and Mark Helm on the scoresheet against the former and Mason Bennett and Aristote Nsiala scoring their goals against the latter.

They have been unable to strengthen their bid since, though, adding just one more point to their tally in the last three attempts as they firstly suffered back-to-back defeats on home turf last month, falling short against Northampton Town and basement side Carlisle United and failing to score in either.

Seeking to return to winning ways and increase their cushion over the bottom four, the Brewers most recently travelled to take on 21st-placed Cheltenham Town on Saturday, and while again being shut out, they were at least able to take a share of the points from a goalless stalemate.

Such a result saw Burton Albion remain five points clear of Cheltenham in the first relegation spot with 11 games to go, and with the fight for survival heating up, they will be desperate to add to that cushion once again with a much-needed victory on Saturday.

In their way stand a visiting side who will aim for a victory in their own fight at the other end of the division, having kept their automatic promotion hopes alive with a return to form in recent weeks.

After putting themselves in a strong position in the top-two fight with a 12-game unbeaten streak between mid-November and late January to move onto 56 points from 28 outings, but they would then drop well behind the leading pack in a concerning dip in form last month, suffering consecutive third-tier defeats at the hands of Wigan Athletic, Exeter City, Wycombe Wanderers and Blackpool.

With their automatic promotion hopes left all but out of sight heading into the final 14 league games of the season, and on the back of a return to winning ways against Blackpool in the EFL Trophy semi-final to book a trip to Wembley, Darren Ferguson's side have been able to bounce back in impressive fashion in League One with three consecutive triumphs, firstly seeing out a 1-0 win away at rivals Cambridge United thanks to Ephron Mason-Clark's goal.

Exeter City then visited Cambridgeshire last weekend, and the Posh saw out a 2-1 victory with Mason-Clark and Kwame Poku on the scoresheet, before they most recently hosted Northampton Town on Tuesday and heaped pressure on the frontrunners as Mason-Clark, Poku, Joel Randall, Hector Kyprianou and Josh Knight netted goals in a 5-1 thrashing.

Having now moved back into the top-two picture, trailing fourth-placed Barnsley by two points, third-placed Derby County by four and second-placed Bolton Wanderers by five with a game in hand the latter two, Peterborough United will look to ramp up their pursuit with a fourth straight league victory on Saturday when they visit the Pirelli Stadium.

Burton Albion League One form:

L

W

W

L

L

D

Peterborough United League One form:

L

L

L

W

W

W

Peterborough United form (all competitions):

L

L

W

W

W

W

Team News

Following a clean sheet last time out and three consecutive games without a goal, Burton Albion may opt to make changes to their front line on Saturday, but at the other end of the pitch, Tom Hamer, John Brayford and Ryan Sweeney are bound to again line up at the heart of a back five.

Either side of them, Tolaji Bola and Steve Seddon will continue in full-back roles, while Ciaran Gilligan, Adedeji Oshilaja, Joe Powell and Mark Helm will all hope to keep their places in midfield.

After Ademola Ola-Adebomi led the line again in the draw against Cheltenham, Martin Paterson may introduce Manchester United loanee Joe Hugill from the outset, with Kyle Hudlin also competing to start up top.

Darren Ferguson has little reason to change his Peterborough United side after their 5-1 thrashing of Northampton Town on Tuesday, although Malik Mothersille will challenge Ricky-Jade Jones to start up front in their 4-2-3-1 shape, having made back-to-back starts in League One before dropping back to the bench in midweek.

Whichever lone striker is preferred will have plenty of support from the dangerous trio of Kwame Poku, Joel Randall and Ephron Mason-Clark, all of whom got on the scoresheet against Northampton to take their tallies to 10, six and 13 league goals for the season respectively in England's third tier.

Behind them, Hector Kyprianou and Archie Collins are bound to continue their partnership at the base of the midfield, while Ronnie Edwards and Josh Knight are mainstays in the middle of a back four.

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Bola, Hamer, Brayford, Sweeney, Seddon; Gilligan, Oshilaja, Powell, Helm; Hugill

Peterborough United possible starting lineup:

Steer; Katongo, Knight, Edwards, Burrows; Kyprianou, Collins; Poku, Randall, Mason-Clark; Mothersille

We say: Burton Albion 0-3 Peterborough United

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