HEAD-TO-HEAD: Toughest challenge yet for Neilson's MK Dons?

George C Williams missed a sitter late on when the sides met earlier this season.

Beating Oldham 1-0 on Tuesday night saw Dons climb to 14th in the table, above AFC Wimbledon, and now are just two points behind this weekend’s opponents.

It was hardly an awe-inspiring affair at Stadium MK though, especially after great performances against Northampton, Peterborough and Bolton preceding it.

Dons boss Robbie Neilson though feels given Oxford's attacking capabilities, it will be a far more exciting game at the Kassam Stadium.

Kieran Agard missed a one-on-one at Stadium MK late in the day too.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Oxford United vs MK Dons

He said: "Everyone wants to go out and play attractive football and entertain the fans, but for that to happen, you need two teams that want to go out and win the game. That makes it open and exciting, but if one team wants to sit in, it's really hard to break down and it's a negative game.

"There will be plenty more of them this season - particularly at home because we're in good form, they'll try and sit in. But it's up to us to break teams down earlier than we did."

There has been just one prior meeting between the two sides, and it came earlier this season at Stadium MK.

That day, Dons missed two gilt-edged chances in stoppage time, one from Kieran Agard and another from Fulham loanee George C Williams as the sides were deadlocked at 0-0.

Heading to the Kassam Stadium though won’t be an easy task for Robbie Neilson’s side.

Despite going there six undefeated, Michael Appleton’s side have lost just one of their last nine games, having won seven of them.

"They're in great form," Neilson added. "I was at the derby on Sunday, and they really dominated Swindon after a difficult first half.

"But they're a tough team, they have quality all over the pitch. The way they play is really good.

"I believe we go into every game with the opportunity to win it, we set up to win it. If we can continue to win, we'll climb the league - it won't matter who it is against or what other teams are doing."

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