Preview: Port Vale vs. Peterborough United - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts will be looking to claim a fourth consecutive home victory, while the Posh will be keen to claim all three points in Darren Ferguson's first game back as manager.

Match preview

After winning promotion from League Two last season, Port Vale will be pleased with their efforts this term, picking up 35 points from their 24 matches to leave them in 11th place.

Darrell Clarke's side have been in promising form in recent weeks, winning four of their last six league games, including a 3-1 victory over Forest Green Rovers in their most recent outing.

Port Vale trailed for most of the game after Kyle Mcallister gave Forest Green an early lead, but Mipo Odubeko managed to find an equaliser in the 86th minute, and there was to be more drama in stoppage time, with an Ellis Harrison penalty and a Dennis Politic strike securing Port Vale all three points.

Although their target at the beginning of the season will be to avoid relegation, Port Vale may now be dreaming of the playoffs, with five points separating them from the top six.

Having not played since their victory over Forest Green on New Year's Day, Port Vale have had plenty of time to prepare for Monday's fixture, where they will have the chance to claim a fourth straight home victory.

Like their hosts, Peterborough have not been in action since January 1, but there has been a change of management after they began the new year with a 3-0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.

Following a run of poor form that yielded one win from eight games in all competitions, Grant McCann was replaced as Peterborough boss by a familiar face.

Darren Ferguson, who has been out of work since resigning as Peterborough manager in February last year, has returned to the club for a fourth spell as coach, signing a deal until the end of the season.

With five points separating the Posh from the playoff places, Ferguson will be targeting a place in the top six, and he will be determined to end the club's four-game winless away run in his first game back in charge.

Peterborough can take inspiration from the comfortable 3-0 win they picked up against Port Vale in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

Port Vale League One form:

W

W

L

W

L

W

Port Vale form (all competitions):

W

L

L

W

L

W

Peterborough United League One form:

L

L

L

D

W

L

Peterborough United form (all competitions):

L

L

L

D

W

L

Team News

Port Vale will not be able to call upon the services of Connor Hall and Brad Walker, who have joined Colchester United and Tranmere Rovers in the first two weeks of the January transfer window.

Hall's exit ensures that there will be at one change to the side that beat Forest Green, with Lewis Cass expected to come into the back three alongside Will Forrester and Nathan Smith.

Tom Conlon dropped down to the bench for the New Year's Day victory, but he could return to the starting lineup against Peterborough.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the services of long-term injury absentee Oliver Norburn, who is expected to be unavailable until at least the end of January.

After joining on loan from Burnley, goalkeeper Will Norris is set to come into the starting lineup, but his fellow January signing, Swansea City loanee Nathanael Ogbeta, may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Jonson Clarke-Harris will want to add to the 13 league goals he has scored this season when he leads the line on Monday.

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Stevens; Forrester, Smith, Cass; Massey, Conlon, Pett, Benning; Garrity; Butterworth, Harrison

Peterborough United possible starting lineup:

Norris; Kent, Edwards, Watts; Ward, Fuchs, Ja. Taylor, Burrows; Poku, Jones, Clarke-Harris

We say: Port Vale 1-1 Peterborough United

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