Form
Peterborough United finished last season in 18th place in League One, five points clear of the relegation places. This season marks their fourth straight year in the second tier, having been relegated from the Championship in 2022, finishing 22nd in the league.
The Posh have seen a real upturn in results recently and have risen from the relegation zone to 13th place in the league. They are one of the form sides in the division, having won four and lost one of their last five games. They come into
this weekend’s game on a four-match winning streak, most recently beating Leyton Orient 1-0 at home on Boxing Day.
The two sides faced each other almost three weeks ago with the Posh beating the Royals 1-2 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium after goals from Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Harry Leonard.
The boss
Luke Williams: Williams took over as Peterborough boss at the end of October, replacing Darren Ferguson, whose fourth spell at the club ended with a sacking as the Posh fell to the bottom of the league.
Williams’ playing career was cut short before it even began as he suffered an injury at the age of 19 while in the Bristol Rovers youth setup. He took on coaching roles at Leyton Orient, West Ham United and the Brighton & Hove Albion youth team before becoming assistant manager at Swindon Town.
It was at Swindon where he got his first full-time management job, taking on the role in January 2016 after a caretaker spell following Martin Ling’s departure. He was at the Robins for a season and a half and left the club following their relegation to League Two.
Williams went on to join Bristol City in a youth-coach role before becoming Russell Martin’s assistant at MK Dons and then following him to Swansea City. His managerial career resumed in 2022 when he joined Notts County, guiding the club back to the Football League in his first season, winning the National League playoffs.
He went on to return to Swansea in January 2024, this time as manager, and stayed at the club for just over a year.
Since joining Peterborough, Williams has guided them away from the relegation zone and into mid-table after winning six of his eight league games in charge. The 44-year-old likes his sides to play attacking, possession-based football.
Team news
Left-back Harley Mills will be missing for this game, as he has been ruled out for three months with a hamstring injury. Fellow defender Jacob Mendy is also expected to be missing through injury.
Predicted lineup
Bass, Kioso, Lees, Okagbue, Johnston, O’Brien-Brady, Collins, Frith, Garbett, Lisbie, Leonard
Key player
27. Harry Leonard: Forward Leonard joined Peterborough this September, signing from Blackburn Rovers for an undisclosed fee. He started his career in the youth setup at Rovers, joining the club at nine years old, and made his professional debut in 2023.
Leonard went on to make 36 appearances for the club, scoring five goals. He has made 20 appearances for the Posh since signing and has eight goals to his name so far, making him the club’s top scorer this season.
He also scored the winner in Peterborough’s victory against Reading earlier this month. The 22-year-old is a hard-working forward who holds the ball up well.
One to watch
11. Declan Frith: Winger Frith joined Peterborough in June this year, signing from Swiss side FC Thun for an undisclosed fee.
He spent time at Welling United, Chelsea and Aston Villa in his youth career before signing permanently for the Valencia B team in 2023. After one season in Spain, Frith went on to join FC Thun, where he scored six goals in 32 appearances.
The 23-year-old has made 12 appearances since joining the Posh and scored his first goal for the club on Boxing Day: a 94th-minute winner against Leyton Orient. Frith is a tricky and pacey winger, who plays on the right.
