A win over Fleetwood ‘what everyone wants’ at MK Dons

There is no hiding away from it - MK Dons are in a relegation scrap and a win against Fleetwood Town would be a huge step in the right direction for Liam Manning’s side.

Toiling five points from safety in 22nd spot, Dons have gone a month without a win in the league - their last the 2-0 win at The Valley against Charlton Athletic - and while performances have been improving, points have not been forthcoming.

With pressure mounting at Stadium MK to start showing signs of a revival this season, Manning said, heading into the game with Fleetwood, his side keen to get that revival underway.

“We'll do everything we can to win tomorrow - that's what everyone wants,” he said. “We'll do everything in our power to win it. The biggest bit is understanding how to do it, stepping up and earning the right to do what we have to do.

“We don't want to be where we are, but I see the players and staff, how they interact. The lads are working as hard as they can, and it wouldn't be any different if we were elsewhere in the league.

“Pressure only comes in if you allow it to. We want to move from where we are, but we have to understand how to do that. There's no secret to it, it won't be luck to get us out of it, but a bit of quality.

“And we could do with a bit of fortune from the referees to get the win that we need.”

Paying the penalty

While Manning may want some help from the men in the middle, his side must stop giving away penalties too. The last three goals Dons have conceded have come from the penalty spot, with two against Portsmouth and a third against Burton Albion last week in the 1-1 draw at Stadium MK.

Dons’ head coach spoke about his side’s recent trend of giving away spot kicks, and has urged his men to keep their heads in and around their own penalty area.

He said: “It's a frustrating one, and that comes down to discipline. When you're a bit more on edge because of where we're at, those things can creep in.

“But that's another reason not to ramp up the pressure and get the lads emotional, because the lack of discipline and focus comes from that. Of course, we want them to compete at their maximum, but not to a point where you can over do it.

“We have to stay disciplined in and around our box, stay in the game and don't give them anything.”