A look ahead to MK Dons' Boxing Day game with Colchester United

MK Dons will be eager to extend their unbeaten run in League Two to eight games when they host Colchester United on Boxing Day.

Saturday's win over Morecambe lifted Mike Williamson's side to ninth in the standings, two points outside the play-off spots. Dons' last defeat in the division happened on October 21 when they were beaten 1-0 by Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium, just four days after Williamson took over. Since then, Dons have won five and drawn twice in the division.

Colchester ended a five-match losing run on Friday night with a 2-1 victory over Salford City at the JobServe Stadium - their first three-point haul since November 7. Their torrid run has seen the U's drop down the order, and they sit 22nd ahead of the game in Milton Keynes this afternoon.

Having already played each other earlier this season, Dons stages a dramatic late comeback in Essex in August when goals from Alex Gilbey and Matt Dennis at the death saw them overcome a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2. The sides are certainly no strangers to one another, with today's game being the 24th time they have played. Of those, Dons have won 13, while Colchester have won six, with four draws. The U's were victorious on their last visit to MK1, winning 1-0 in December 2018.

Dons will be keen to see striker Max Dean continue his hot scoring form, hitting the back of the net nine times in his last ten appearances, bagging twice in the 3-1 win over Morecambe. Wing-back Joe Tomlinson too is in good form, with four goals and three assists in his last seven games.

Referee Alex Chilowicz will take charge of the game - his first in English football. Chilowicz has recently relocated to England from the USA and will continue his refereeing journey as a National Group official, predominantly forming part of a quartet taking charge of fixtures in League One and League Two. Spanning a six-year period, he officiated 237 games in America’s top-flight league while he also acted as the Video Assistant Referee for the MLS All-Star fixture in 2018 and fourth official in the MLS Cup final in 2020.

Marvyn Amphlett and Joseph Stokes will run the lines, with Fourth Official James Oldham.

Bookmakers have Dons at 11/20 to win the game, Colchester at 19/4 and 16/5 the draw.