Next two games 'massive' for Posh - Zakuani

Archie Collins battles for the ball with Bolton's Xavier Simons

Former Peterborough United captain Gabriel Zakuani says there will be "serious questions" to answer if results do not pick up after the international break.

Posh are bottom of League One, with just seven points from 11 games, following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers.

Next Saturday's game against leaders Stevenage has been postponed because of international call-ups, so their next two fixtures are against Burton Albion and Blackpool, teams also in the bottom four.

Zakuani, though, also said he was not "overly concerned" about the club's current predicament under manager Darren Ferguson.

He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "I think the squad is better than how [it was when] the season started.

"I think the break has probably come at a great time for Darren and the staff, to (let them) really sit down and work with the squad, get some sort of understanding, give them extra time to gel, and get some fitness into the players that need it.

"I wouldn't be too worried, but the longer this goes on it could be a problem."

Zakuani described the games against Burton and Blackpool - the latter having sacked manager Steve Bruce after their latest defeat on Saturday - as "absolutely massive".

He added: "Those two weeks are enough to give them the blast they need, and the rest they need.

"After that, there literally is no excuse for Darren, for the staff, the players, for anyone. Those two games are potentially must-wins - you've got to get at least four points from the two and then you can start to look up the table.

"It'll be very hard to still be defending the players (if results don't go well in those two games) and Darren will have to answer serious questions."

Peterborough registered back-to-back wins over Wycombe Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle last month, but were then beaten by Lincoln City and could not salvage a result at Bolton despite Peter Kioso's goal just before half-time reducing the home team's 2-0 lead.

"I thought we should have got something out of the game," said Ferguson, who also hit out at the "soft goals" his side conceded.

"Some of the detail, the final pass, that's an area we've really got to improve. It's really making a difference in the results we're getting.

"With the team we've got, and the quality we've got, we are going to create chances but we've got to stop giving teams a two-goal lead, because that gives you a right mountain to climb, especially away from home."