Peterborough vs West Brom: Graham Westley wants prolific Posh to produce Cup demonstration

Westley likes his side to play with attacking flair (Getty Images)

Graham Westley hopes his high-scoring Peterborough side gain their just rewards for their attacking endeavours in tonight’s FA Cup fourth-round replay against West Bromwich Albion.

The League One side twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at the Hawthorns on 30 January to force Albion to return to the ABAX Stadium.

Posh are the second highest scorers in the Football League, behind League One promotion rivals Gillingham, and Westley sees the televised Cup tie as the perfect opportunity to show what his side are all about.

“The FA Cup is ideal for a club like ours,” Westley said. “It is a cup that rewards teams that play with flair, imagination, an attacking mentality, some devil. We’ve got all of that about us.

“That’s the game that we like to play. And if you’re brave and you’re attacking, you play open and you want to entertain, the FA Cup is definitely a competition that gives to you.

“We have to make sure that we score goals. We’re a side that will concede,” he added. “[And] we place our emphasis on scoring goals. Our work is on our pattern, our players, our routes to goal, making sure we get back to being the highest scorers in the country.”

Defender Jack Baldwin is rated 50-50 to return from a back injury for Posh, while Gabriel Zakuani could start after returning to fitness and Marcus Maddison is available after missing last Saturday’s win over Chesterfield through illness. Defenders Michael Smith and Ricardo Santos are suspended after being sent off in the League One contest.

Tom Nichols, Jordan Nicholson, Aaron Williams and Callum Chettle are Cup tied and former West Brom player Adil Nabi is ineligible under the terms of his move.

Posh will have to field a much-changed team, with the absentees an afterthought for Westley. He added: “To me they become irrelevant. The lads that are important are the ones that are going to wear the shirts.

“We can still put a team out there that can win games, irrespective of the lads that are unavailable.

“We’re going to have to be close to our very best if we’re going to produce the unexpected.”

West Brom could have just three fit defenders for tonight’s game as Jonny Evans (hamstring) is a major doubt while Jonas Olsson (hamstring), Gareth McAuley (thigh) and Craig Dawson (ankle) all suffered injuries in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle and will be assessed.

It means Albion could have just outcasts James Chester, Sébastien Pocognoli and Cristian Gamboa available at the back. Chris Brunt (calf) is also a doubt while James Morrison (hamstring) and Callum McManaman (ankle) will miss out, along with Tottenham loanee Alex Pritchard, who is ineligible.