Previewing MK Dons’ away day at the Brick Community Stadium to take on Wigan Athletic, kicking off at 7.45pm

Both MK Dons and Wigan Athletic head into the clash in Greater Manchester tonight eager to get their first win on the board, but both have had two very different starts.

Paul Warne’s side have come up from League Two and have picked up three points in three draws against Oxford, Huddersfield and Leicester.

Gary Caldwell’s Latics meanwhile have lost all three of their opening games this term, beaten by Cambridge, Leyton Orient and fellow strugglers AFC Wimbledon, which have left them bottom of the table, albeit at this very early stage.

This is Wigan’s fourth consecutive season in League One, and their record of 14 wins, 14 draws and 18 defeats last season saw them finish 16th last term, seven points away from the drop zone.

Tonight will be the ninth meeting between the sides. Four times Wigan have come away victorious, while Dons have won twice, with two draws. Games in Greater Manchester have been pretty entertaining down the years, perhaps not from a Dons point of view for the 5-1 and 3-0 defeats in 2018 and early 2021, though the 2-1 win under Liam Manning later that year was a signal of things to come from that side.

Referee Paul Howard will take charge of the game. In his three games this season, he has flashed 11 yellow cards and awarded a penalty, with his red card remaining unused. Wigan have seen the official six times down the years, resulting in three draws and three defeats, while Dons, who last saw him in January in the FA Cup clash with Oxford, have seen him four times, resulting in a win and three defeats.

Assistants Thomas Cooke and Steve Durnall will run the lines with Fourth Official Joe Simpson.