Ipswich boss McKenna ready for 'unique' challenge against 'dangerous' MK Dons

The promotion-chasers will travel to Stadium MK to take on a Dons side reeling from successive heavy defeats in conceding five goals at both Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday.

Mark Jackson's side are languishing third bottom in Sky Bet League One, while the Tractor Boys are flying high in third and still harbour genuine hopes of finishing in the top two and claiming automatic promotion.

On the face of it, Ipswich should go into the game confident that they can rack up another three points in their promotion quest, but McKenna is wary of the Dons threat.

He feels the losses at Bolton and Hillsborough were harsh on the Dons, and that he has been impressed with the style of football that Jackson is trying to implement.

“We’re not naïve - we’ve studied them enough to know they're a much more dangerous side than those last two results would suggest," said McKenna.

"They conceded on four corners at Bolton in what was, to be honest, a pretty even game.

"At Sheffield Wednesday they were a big threat, scored two and could have had more. But they also weren't able to withstand the pressure that Sheffield Wednesday put on them.

"Mark is trying to put his own stamp on it and lift them to a position in the table that is probably more befitting of the quality that they have at the club."

Jackson has instilled a different style of play since taking over from Liam Manning, and McKenna said: "They’ve changed a lot.

"I think they’re a very dangerous transition side at the moment with a big focus on defending zonal and narrow, then looking to counter-attack.

“They’ve brought in two very quick, wide forwards in Jonathan Leko and Sullay Kaikai who are both very good one-v-one.

"Having Mo Eisa back adds to that as well. They’ve got a really potent front three.

“We want to play our own game, be attacking, carry our threat, commit bodies forward, but we also need to have the balance of knowing what their main threat is at the moment.

"It’s pretty unique and different to what you face at most League One teams and we have to be ready for that."