Dons boss thankful to rule makers for eliminating Carabao Cup extra time

New rules this season have eliminated extra time, while the first round has also been delayed a week, played after the second league fixture rather than the first.

League 1 side Charlton are no strangers Stadium MK, but this time play as a club from a division above in the opening round of the competition.

The notoriously busy schedule for EFL teams in August has often been criticised by managers, and Dons boss Tisdale is thankful the rules of the Carabao Cup have been adjusted to ease off the heavy loads for the players.

"I think it's a really sensible decision," he said. "To have it a week later is also a good idea. You have to try and win it but at the same time I'm trying to introduce things into our style of play, and I also have players who are injured and fatigued and under pressure because they've played two games like Alex Gilbey and Joe Walsh.

"I've got a number of things I have yo balance before we can work out who we play. But we want to try and win it, but we also have to remember we're playing a team from a higher division. It's not just about the team I pick to win the game, but also the balance going forwards."

Tisdale has been at the club less than two months since arriving from Exeter City though, and admitted he likes to have his penalty takers in his mind, but won't know until on the night who in the Dons squad will be willing to step up and take one, should the game reach that stage.

He added: "It might be a bit old-school on Tuesday should we get to that point. I won't quite know how we'll go about it! Ordinarily, it's something I''m very diligent about, but I've not had long enough here to go through those things."