Players cannot afford to get distracted by the League One table

Liam Manning barks his orders from the touchline. He insists a ‘game-by-game’ approach will be best for MK Dons in the final seven matches of the season

Maintaining level heads and not allowing themselves to be distracted by the League One table will be key for MK Dons as they enter the final seven games of the regular season.

Wins over Shrewsbury Town and Crewe Alexandra could see Dons into the top two for the first time on Tuesday night, with Rotherham United not in action in the division until next Saturday.

Throughout the campaign though, head coach Liam Manning has insisted his players should only look as far as the next game, but admitted he was not naive enough to know they will be looking at the standings and recognising the importance every point will have between now and the end of the season.

He said: “The players aren't naive enough not to know, they are aware of it but they have done a good job not to be distracted by it. They understand we've got a touch game against Shrewsbury tomorrow, and once that is done, reflect, analyse, look at things and move on to the next.

“It is such a tough league, if you come off it at any point you can be punished.”

Despite the 12-place gulf between the sides in the standings, Shrewsbury’s recent form, not to mention their mean defensive record too, by no means makes Saturday’s clash a given for Dons.

Steve Cotterill’s side have lost just one of their last seven, have won three in a row and have kept clean sheets in them all. In fact, despite sitting 15th, they have conceded the thrid fewest goals of anyone in League One.

And when the sides met back in October, it was the Shrews who came away with the three points thanks to Shaun Whalley’s 65th minute goal.

Manning said: “Shrewsbury have conceded the third fewest goals this season, they don't give you anything, which is what we saw from the game at their place. We gave away a terrible goal from our perspective, had some chances we didn't take, and we know tomorrow they won't give us a lot. We'll have to be mentally prepared for that.

“And looking at their recent results - they beat Rotherham 3-0, they have picked up some good results as well.”