Cambridge United will welcome Peterborough United to the Abbey Stadium for the second Cambridgeshire Derby of the season on Saturday.
The visitors dished out a 6-1 beating in the reverse fixture in November and have moved back clear of the League One drop zone in recent weeks.
Match preview
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Cambridge United return to the Abbey Stadium on Saturday aiming to improve their lessening League One survival hopes and record a first victory over their rivals since 2023.
In what has been a tough campaign throughout, Neil Harris returned to the club in mid-February, overseeing back-to-back wins in his first two games to see his side move onto seven wins and 29 points for the season in 33 games.
They have been unable to continue that run and mount a climb out of the bottom four since, though, and the U's now head into the weekend on the back of three straight league defeats, firstly losing 1-0 at home to Stevenage and away at Wigan Athletic.
A trip to Blackpool then followed on Tuesday, and despite going ahead early through Dom Ballard, they again left empty-handed as Ashley Fletcher quickly levelled the scores and Sonny Carey sealed a 2-1 home win before the hour mark.
Having now dropped back to 23rd spot in England's third tier and fallen 10 points adrift of safety with just 10 games remaining, Cambridge United will hope to avenge their defeat to the visitors earlier in the campaign and narrow their gap to 20th spot to seven points.
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That will be no easy task, though, as the visitors arrive aiming to take an unbeaten run to six league matches and make it five consecutive wins against their Cambridgeshire rivals.
Having completed a double over their hosts and picked up a cup win last season, Peterborough United hosted Cambridge in November and dished out a 6-1 beating in what has been a disappointing campaign by their own standards.
Following consecutive top-six finishes in England's third tier, Darren Ferguson's side dropped towards the relegation zone early in the new year as an 11-match run including just one win left them on 30 points from 30 matches.
The Posh have shown signs of much-needed improvement since, though, rebuilding a lead over the bottom four with an unbeaten streak as they firstly followed up a draw against Stevenage with consecutive victories over Huddersfield Town and Shrewsbury Town.
Now sitting six points clear of the drop zone following consecutive draws with Blackpool and second-placed Wycombe Wanderers, having only been pegged back in injury time in the latter after Malik Mothersille's opener, Peterborough United will aim to continue their fine run and recent dominance over their rivals to move all but out of sight in the fight for survival.
Team News
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Cambridge United continue to contend with a long injury list, as goalkeeper Marko Marosi, Gary Gardner, Zeno Rossi, Shayne Lavery and Korey Smith should all remain confined to the treatment room.
Dan Nlundulu will hope to come in and lead the line from the outset, but Southampton loanee Dom Ballard should again get the nod after netting his first goal for the U's in Tuesday's trip to Blackpool.
Having featured off the bench on Tuesday after his own injury layoff, Sullay Kaikai may join Elias Kachunga and star man Josh Stokes in support of the front man, while Paul Digby and Jordan Cousins should again partner up at the base of the midfield.
Peterborough United could be unchanged from their draw against Wycombe Wanderers, with Rio Adebisi and Gustav Lindgren likely remaining sidelined by injuries.
There is competition in attack, though, with danger man Kwame Poku having returned for a substitute appearance in that game after an injury layoff dating back to early December, while joint-top scorer Ricky-Jade Jones will also hope to come back in from the outset.
He could operate ahead of Malik Mothersille, who has also netted 14 goals this term after opening the scoring in midweek, while Archie Collins and Hector Kyprianou are bound to continue their midfield partnership for the Cambridgeshire Derby.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Bennett, Morrison, Watts, Malone; Digby, Cousins; Kaikai, Kachunga, Stokes; Ballard
Peterborough United possible starting lineup:
Steer; Johnston, Wallin, Hughes, Edun; Collins, Kyprianou; Hayes, Mothersille, Odoh; Jones
We say: Cambridge United 1-3 Peterborough United
Peterborough United have shown their dominance over their rivals in recent years and will fancy themselves to prevail again at the Abbey Stadium, given their superior quality and the difference in momentum between the Cambridgeshire sides.
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Sam Varley
