Impressive Ilunga doesn’t disappoint in return to Dons starting role

Teenager Brooklyn Ilunga showed MK Dons head coach Graham Alexander everything he needed to see during his impressive performance against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old was substituted early on in the pre-season defeat to Northampton Town 11 days ago after struggling in the opening 20 minutes - a situation Alexander would later apologise to him for.

But with several academy products impressing in the last few weeks - Callum Tripp, Joel Anker and Phoenix Scholtz - Ilunga needed a big performance to give his head coach food for thought too, and he did that despite limping out of Dons’ Carabao Cup exit to the Chairboys with 20 minutes to go.

“He only came off because he was feeling some cramp,” said Alexander of the youngster. “As a young player, that's something he'll have to fix, and he'll have to get fitter and more resiliant.

“He did the things I was expecting of him a couple of weeks ago, and the whole mentality of the team has progressed since then.

“This was an opportunity to put him back in the team and he didn't disappoint.

“His energy was good, he was a constant threat, and I think he and Ash Hunter formed a really good partnership.”