Peterborough United could reach the summit of League One if they beat Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.
Paul Lambert and his side will be looking to make it back-to-back wins after a hard-fought 1-0 away win at relegation strugglers Burton Albion. Ipswich dominated but struggled to score until defender Mark McGuiness popped up with a 73rd-minute winner.
Darren Ferguson's side come into the weekend's game in fourth place and on a seven-game unbeaten run. Posh will be confident going into the game after beating promotion rivals Charlton Athletic 2-1 in midweek thanks to a double from the inform Sammy Szmodics.
Team news
The Tractor Boys could hand debuts to Josh Harrop and Luke Thomas after the pair joined on loan from Preston North End and Barnsley respectively.
Lambert's side will be without striker Oli Hawkins after the target man is set to undergo a knee operation. Fellow strikers James Norwood and Kayden Jackson remain doubtful for the game after struggling with injuries throughout the week.
However, the Blues will definitely be without Keanan Bennetts and Kane Vincent-Young as the duo are still sidelined with injuries.
Posh nearly have a fully fit squad to choose from with Joe Ward set to be the only absentee. Very few changes are to be expected from Ferguson's side, due to their recent form.
Siriki Dembele, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sammy Szmodics look set continue upfront together after the trio linked up brilliantly against fellow promotion contenders Charlton Athletic in midweek.
Predicted lineups
Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1):
Holy; Chambers, McGuinness, Woolfenden, Ward, Dozzell, Downes, Thomas, Harrop, Edwards, Norwood.
Peterborough United (3-4-3):
Pym; Kent, Thompson, Beevers, Butler, Taylor, Hamilton, Kanu, Szmodics, Dembele, Clarke-Harris.
Ones to watch
Gwion Edwards - Ipswich Town
The 27-year-old winger has had a great season for the Tractor Boys. Despite only making 12 appearances this season, the Welshman has scored five times and assisted three goals for his teammates. His lack of game time this season is down to a long-term thigh problem. Last Saturday's game at Burton Albion was his first appearance since the start of November after hobbling off against Sunderland. Edwards will be looking to make the difference against his former team when they face off on Saturday and despite being injured for such a long period he holds the biggest threat to Posh.
Jonson Clarke-Harris - Peterborough United
After signing from Bristol Rovers for a reported £1.2 million in the summer, the centre forward has had a sensational start to life in Peterborough. In his 20 league starts this season, Clarke-Harris has scored a staggering 13 goals. The Englishman is starting to become more than just a goalscorer. In the latest game against Charlton, the striker bullied the centre-halves and occupied them both allowing Dembele and Szmodics to flourish and secure the victory. Being the top scorer in League One, it is vital Lambert and his Ipswich side neutralise the threat he poses to stand any chance of getting the three points.
Previous meetings
The two sides last met in February 2020, with Peterborough running riot in a 4-1 win away at Portman Road. Goals from Ivan Toney, Siriki Dembele and a double from Sammy Szmodics secured the victory. Over the last five meetings, there has been a win for either side and three draws. Ipswich have not beaten Posh in the league since March 2012 when they defeated their opponents 3-2 thanks to goals from Grant Leadbitter, Daryl Murphy and Aaron Cresswell.
How to watch
Due to the current national lockdown, no fans will be in attendance at Portman Road. This means the game is available on iFollow through Ipswich and Peterborough's respective club websites, with passes being priced at £10.
The game kicks off at 3:00 pm BST on Saturday 23 January 2021.