Set to become familiar foes over the next week, Peterborough United will host Birmingham City at the Weston Homes Stadium in League One on Tuesday night.
The pair battle for third-tier honours at the beginning of this week, before all focus turns to Wembley and an EFL Trophy final between the two clubs next Sunday afternoon.
Match preview
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After eight games unbeaten at home across all competitions, Peterborough United suffered their heaviest defeat of the 2024-25 campaign on Saturday afternoon, when a 23rd-minute red card from Tayo Edun decided the course of the contest, handing Northampton Town a major boost in the battle.
Cobblers veteran Sam Hoskins bagged a brace and Dara Costelloe also found the net to put the visitors three goals ahead at the half-time interval, after which the visitors rubbed salt into the Posh wounds during the final moments, when Tom Eaves netted his fifth of the league term.
Losing two of their last three third-tier matches, Darren Ferguson's troops are marooned in mid-table of the League One rankings, sitting 15th, 18 points behind the playoff pace and a comforting nine points ahead of 21st-placed Burton Albion in the highest of the relegation spots.
Despite their inconsistency of late, Posh still possess a decent home record, having only tasted defeat on a single occasion at the Weston Homes Stadium during 2025, meaning that Birmingham cannot expect a walkover success as they gun for promotion and the League One title.
There are a number of notable attackers for the visitors to keep tabs on, including Championship-linked Kwame Poku, who has bagged 11 goals and eight assists in the third tier despite missing a large chunk of the campaign due to injury.
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Whilst League One has thrown up plenty of attritional battles for Birmingham on their return to the level for the first time in three decades, Saturday afternoon felt like the beginning of the promotion party in the Second City, where the hosts demolished managerless Barnsley 6-2.
The third-minute dismissal of Tykes centre-back Mael Durand Gevigney undoubtedly gave Blues a helping hand towards victory, although they still needed to produce the clinical finishing to secure the points, with Jay Stansfield, Alfie May, Luke Harris and Kieran Dowell all getting on the scoresheet before arguably the moment of the campaign to date.
Into his ninth season of service on the blue side of the Second City, Birmingham legend Lukas Jutkiewicz has accepted a bit-part role this term as Chris Davies's side look to move in a new direction, however the veteran was centre stage on the weekend, scoring his first league goal of the campaign as a substitute to send the Tilton Road stand into hysterics.
After extending their unbeaten league run at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park to a staggering 21 matches, Blues know that victory at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday night will secure promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt, fewer than 12 months following an unthinkable relegation.
There is also the possibility of Birmingham's clinching the League One title next weekend should Wrexham slip up away at Wigan Athletic on Saturday, one day before an estimated 50,000 Bluenoses travel South to watch their beloved side in the EFL Trophy final against Peterborough at Wembley Stadium.
Team News
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With full-back Edun suspended for Tuesday night, Peterborough could bring the versatile Carl Johnston into the backline at the left-back position.
Ferguson could be tempted to try a number of fringe players after such a damning defeat on the weekend, with the likes of Gustav Lindgren and Cian Hayes pushing for starts.
Birmingham could be without the services of playmaker Willum Willumsson, who was forced off with a slight knock during the first half of the Barnsley success.
Coming on to replace the Icelander in the 37th minute, May bagged four goal contributions against the Tykes and is deserving of a starting spot on Tuesday.
With Peterborough to come in the EFL Trophy final on Sunday afternoon, Davies could be tempted to rotate his side slightly, providing possible starts for Alfons Sampsted and Marc Leonard.
Peterborough United possible starting lineup:
Steer; Dornelly, Wallin, Katongo, Johnston; Susoho, De Havilland, Hayes, Mothersille, Odoh; Jones
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Leonard, Iwata; Dowell, Stansfield, Anderson; May
We say: Peterborough United 1-1 Birmingham City
After a heavy defeat to Northampton on the weekend, Peterborough will be targeting a response against Birmingham at the Weston Homes on Tuesday night.
With excitement building for both sides ahead of Sunday's Wembley final, the pair could settle on a share of the spoils in this League One clash.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
