A look ahead to MK Dons' home clash with Fleetwood Town

A fourth home win in a row is in the offing for MK Dons when they take on Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

After triumphs over Gillingham, Crewe Alexandra and Salford City, Paul Warne’s side appear to have addressed the early season issues they faced at Stadium MK, struggling to pick up wins on familiar soil.

Fleetwood meanwhile have struggled on the road this season. Despite sitting just three points behind Dons in League Two, they have just eight points from a possible 24 away from the Highbury Stadium, and both came in the opening month of the season.

Pete Wild’s side have lost just once of their last nine in all competitions heading to MK1, picking up eight points from 15 with two wins, two draws and a defeat in the division.

In 15 previous meetings between the sides, Fleetwood have claimed six wins to Dons’ five, with four draws. The Cod Army were comprehensive winners in both encounters last season, winning 2-1 in Lancashire and 4-2 in Milton Keynes.

Dons in fact have not beaten Fleetwood in the last five meetings, with their last triumph being the 3-1 win in January 2021 thanks to a Joe Mason hat-trick.

Warne is set to welcome back Callum Paterson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to the fray for the early kick-off, with the Scot having served his one-match ban, while the Guatemalan overcame the knock which kept him out of the 2-2 draw with Tranmere Rovers last time out.

Gethin Jones and Aaron Collins also returned from long-term absences at Prenton Park, but Jonathan Leko will be suspended for the game after his red card in Birkenhead.

Andrew Humphries will take charge of the game, his 18th outing of the season. In his previous 17, he has shown half-a-century of yellow cards, two reds and awarded two penalties. It will be his first time officiating either side.

Joseph Larkin and Jacob Lehane will run the lines with Fourth Official Isaac Searle.

Bookmakers bet365.com have MK Dons at 7/10 to win the game, with Fleetwood at 4/1 and 5/2 the draw.