Preview: Peterborough United vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Nottingham Forest square off against Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon looking to take a further step towards securing their place in the Championship playoffs.

Meanwhile, Posh play host to one of the form teams in the division knowing that only victory will do if they want to avoid relegation to League One with two matches to spare.

Match preview

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When a seemingly all-conquering Forest went down 1-0 at Luton Town on Good Friday, Steve Cooper would have recognised that it represented a potential turning point for the club's season.

However, to their credit, the East Midlands giants quickly shook off that disappointment three days later, starting strongly against West Bromwich Albion before prevailing by a 4-0 scoreline.

The goals were shared around the team, Sam Surridge capping his first 90 minutes in the Championship for Forest with his third goal, and it helped further strengthen the club's goal difference in the event that they emerge as direct rivals to Bournemouth for second position.

Although they trail by seven points, this game takes place on the same day that the Cherries host already-promoted Fulham, and the two clubs are still to face each other before the end of the campaign.

That said, Forest have been far less clinical away from the City Ground with just two wins coming from their last six fixtures on their travels.

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Such a return will offer encouragement to a Peterborough side who are most certainly on an upward trajectory under Grant McCann, regardless of whether they can somehow survive in the Championship.

Eight points have been collected from their last four outings, including successive wins against promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers and relegation rivals Barnsley.

Both victories were eye-catching in their own right, although Reading registering four points over the same period has almost rendered the revival worthless in the short term.

Given their inferior goal difference, Posh will only remain in the Championship if they beat Forest, Millwall and Blackpool, with Reading claiming no more than one point from encounters with Hull City, West Bromwich Albion and Luton Town.

As well as conceding just three times in four matches, McCann will be delighted to see Jonson Clarke-Harris and Jack Marriott chip in with two goals apiece.

Team News

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Joe Ward is a major doubt for Peterborough after the right wing-back needed to be withdrawn at half time against Barnsley.

Kwame Poku is on standby to come into the team after replacing his teammate, but further alterations are not expected given the level of performance at Oakwell.

McCann has suggested that Jorge Grant will likely remain out of contention after being sidelined for that fixture.

Having had the chance to rest players during the second half against West Brom, Forest boss Cooper may be prepared to name the same starting lineup.

Keinan Davis is sidelined with a hamstring injury, but Steve Cook made his first appearance for month than a month as a substitute versus the Baggies and is available again here.

Peterborough United possible starting lineup:

Cornell; Knight, Edwards, Kent; Ward, Taylor, Fuchs, Burrows; Szmodics; Clarke-Harris, Marriott

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Samba; Worrall, Figueiredo, McKenna; Spence, Yates, Garner, Colback; Zinckernagel; Johnson, Surridge

We say: Peterborough United 1-3 Nottingham Forest

Peterborough's recent improvements have gone unnoticed by some, and Posh will feel like they are live opponents against a team of Forest's quality. That said, we cannot see the home side being able to keep Forest down to just a couple of goals, leading us to predict a convincing away victory.