League One is tougher than ever, says Dons boss Manning

League One is even more competitive this season, according to MK Dons boss Liam Manning as his side prepare to take on Peterborough United tomorrow.

Posh, relegated from the Championship last season, started brightly with six wins in a row on their return to the third tier, but find themselves in eighth after a run of four straight defeats.

Dons have struggled to find their feet this season after narrowly missing out in the play-offs last term, while the likes of Ipswich Town, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday set the pace behind early pace-setters Plymouth Argyle.

“I think it's harder this year,” said Manning. “We're a year after covid, budgets have gone up at a lot of clubs. Clubs near the bottom of League One last season have invested, spent a good chunk of money and now the margins in the league are a lot tighter, and it's brought teams a lot closer.”

After spending a season in the Championship, Peterborough will be keen to be in and around the promotion mix this season. Grant McCann’s side were 3-0 winners last weekend against Port Vale - a game Manning watched from the stands while his side were on international break - and he said he is wary of the threats Posh will bring to Stadium MK.

He continued: “They're a club with real clarity in how they operate. They produce some really dangerous players, predominantly attackers, and you can see that when they play.

“They've got pace, they are able to play through, go direct and go one-on-one. We know they'll be dangerous after coming down, keeping a lot of their squad from last season.

“It will be tough, but we say that every week now. The league is so difficult and tight, every game is a challenge.”