Mousinho delivers a familiar message to his side ahead of Dons trip

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho almost echoed Dons counterpart Mark Jackson in his press conference this week, albeit from the opposite end of the table.

With Pompey chasing the play-offs, the former Oxford United defender admitted there is still plenty of points to play for to improve their current ninth position.

Heading to Stadium MK having picked up ten points from a possibe 12, just as Dons are, Mouinsho said he is eager to keep his players’ feet on the ground with plenty of games and points point still to play for this season - just as Jackson has been saying in recent weeks with Dons edging their way away from the relegation zone.

Mousinho said: “Nobody has got too carried away because we haven’t achieved anything yet and there’s still a hell of a long way to go.

“There is certainly no feeling of complacency in the dressing room and everyone’s determination is increasing.

“We’re excited about these remaining seven fixtures and want to do the best that we can to make something of this season.

“It looked a couple of weeks ago that it was a bit too far away for us, but things can change very quickly.

“There are 21 points to play for – with six over the Easter weekend – and so we have to remain focused on one game at a time.”

On the visit to Milton Keynes, he added: “They’ve been in good form and have produced some excellent performances, so we expect a stern test.

“Having watched a few of their recent games, it’s no surprise to me that they’ve picked up in recent weeks.

“MK Dons have always been associated with an attractive brand of football and are continuing with that at the moment.

“Their league position probably doesn’t reflect the talent they have in their squad, but we’ll have amazing support and hopefully our fans will make it seem like a home backing.”