League One boss makes huge automatic promotion claim that will have major impact on Portsmouth, Bolton or Derby

Stevenage manager Steve Evans believes that Peterborough United will win automatic promotion from League One.

Peterborough face play-off hopefuls Stevenage on Wednesday night before hosting Pompey at London Road at the weekend. The Posh won 3-1 against Burton Albion at the weekend and that brought them to within four points of the automatic promotion places.

Darren Ferguson's side have a game in hand over Pompey, Derby and Bolton Wanderers, and are now being tipped to finish ahead of one of them. Portsmouth are nine points clear of Peterborough, whilst Bolton are only three points off of them and have stumbled over the last week, drawing their last two games.

Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, Evans said: "I said after we drew 2-2 with them at our place that they would go up automatically and I still believe that now. They have some class players who are also hungry and full of desire so we know we will need to be at our best to get something on Wednesday.

"We are facing a magician of a manager who has his team playing great football.

"As I said I don’t think Peterborough will be in those play-offs and I hope they aren’t because I want them to go up, but we will be out to stop that runaway train on Wednesday."

As for his own team, the Stevenage boss fancies his side to be joining whoever finishes in the two automatic promotion spots out of Portsmouth, Derby, Bolton and now the late runner Peterborough. His side are currently sixth and a point above Oxford United with a game in hand, whilst Blackpool, Lincoln City and Leyton Orient are all still in contention of being involved in May's end of season fixtures.

Evans said: "At the start of the season no-one would have tipped us to be above any of those teams we are fighting against for a play-off place.

"But if we get in those play-offs I fancy we will win them. We will be the team no-one wants to play. We lost by one goal at Bolton and Barnsley and we were unlucky to lose both games. We still have them both to play at home."