Preview: Mansfield Town vs Peterborough United, League One Gameweek 42

Preview: Mansfield Town vs Peterborough United, League One Gameweek 42

  • football king 2025/04/29 14:57
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Peterborough's participation in the EFL Trophy final earlier this month led to this match being rescheduled, and both teams have now secured their League One status for next season, despite having a game in hand.


For Mansfield, Bristol Rovers' defeat on Saturday confirmed their survival, which was fortunate as Nigel Clough's side was thrashed 4-0 by champions Birmingham City just 24 hours later.


A points total in the high 40s was likely sufficient to avoid relegation, and Mansfield enters their final two games with 48 points, five clear of the relegation zone, with no teams below them having a game in hand.


The season is ending on a disappointing note for Mansfield in terms of results, as the Birmingham defeat marked back-to-back losses, conceding nine goals in total, following a 5-1 home thrashing by Reading.

The hosts have earned just one point from their last six matches, with their form even poorer at Field Mill, suffering nine defeats in their last 11 home games. They will have two home fixtures to end the season and aim to improve, starting with the upcoming visit from Exeter City.


For Peterborough, this marks their first league visit to Mansfield since the 2006-07 season when both clubs were in League Two. The visitors will hope for a better outcome than their 3-0 home defeat in the reverse fixture.


The Posh also lost a third-round EFL Cup tie on penalties at Mansfield last season, meaning they approach this match with three consecutive defeats against their opponents.


However, morale is high for Peterborough after they alleviated relegation concerns with a strong run in February and March, followed by retaining the EFL Trophy two weeks ago with a victory over League One leaders Birmingham at Wembley.


All three league matches since that triumphant day have ended in 1-1 draws for Darren Ferguson's team, in challenging games against Stockport County, Barnsley, and Bolton Wanderers, leaving them in 17th place with no opportunity to climb the table this midweek.


Mansfield welcomed back Calum MacDonald and Stephen Quinn from injury over the weekend, with the latter returning straight to the starting lineup.


Top scorer Will Evans remains doubtful, while Baily Cargill, Elliott Hewitt, Alfie Kilgour, and Aaron Lewis all missed the trip to Birmingham due to injuries from the previous week.


That group joins Frazer Blake-Tracy, Ben Quinn, Rhys Oates, and Lee Gregory on Mansfield's growing injury list.


Peterborough will have Tayo Edun available after his four-game suspension for a second red card this season, but Emmanuel Fernandez, Oscar Wallin, and Archie Collins will face late fitness tests.


Goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic is expected to remain sidelined, along with attacker Cian Hayes, while Mahamadou Susoho and Rio Adebisi will also be absent.


Malik Mothersille had a varied performance against Bolton at the weekend, scoring the opening goal from a penalty in the first half but missing another that could have secured victory for Peterborough in the closing stages.


Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Pym; Oshilaja, Vickers, Flint; Williams, MacDonald, Reid, Baccus, Bowery; Akins, Maris


Peterborough United possible starting lineup:

Blackmore; Johnston, Hughes, Nevett, Mills; De Havilland, Kyprianou; Odoh, Mothersille, Poku; Jones

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