A look ahead to MK Dons' home clash against Colchester United

It is shaping up to be a vital week for Scott Lindsey’s MK Dons as they head into three huge games in seven days.

The struggling side face two teams sitting below them in the standings this week, travelling to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night before hosting Morecambe, who sit in the bottom two, the following Saturday.

Before that though, Colchester United are the visitors to Stadium MK this weekend looking to extend their eight-game unbeaten run. Danny Cowley’s men have climbed to 13th in the division with four wins and four draws of late, four points clear of Dons ahead of their meeting at MK1.

It will be the third time the sides have played each other already this season, with the Essex side claiming wins in both the league and EFL Trophy fixtures in the opening two months of the campaign – the final of those being the last game for Mike Williamson in charge of Dons.

No strangers to one another down the years, Saturday will be the 27th meeting between the sides, with Dons claiming wins in 14 of them to Colchester’s eight. The U’s have only been to Stadium MK twice in the last decade though, losing out to an Ellis Harrison goal in the 89th minute on Boxing Day in 2023, while claiming a 1-0 win in December 2018.

Former Dons loanee Jack Payne has been a key man for the U's this season, contributing five goals and eight assists for his new club after leaving Charlton last summer.

Defender Jack Tucker, on loan to Colchester from Dons, will not be eligible to play against his parent club.

Referee Alex Chilowicz will take charge of the game. The American official has been in charge of 25 games this season, and has shown 85 yellow cards, and six reds, awarding six penalties. Remarkably, his only time in charge of MK Dons previously was this fixture last season.

Ian Cooper and Matthew McGrath will run the lines with Fourth Official Andrew Hickman.

Bookmakers bet365.com have both sides at 17/10 to win the game, and 9/4 the draw.