An important quartet are set to join in the full week of training again

Four big players are set to be a part of full training this week, and their returns will be a huge psychological boost for the MK Dons dressing room.

After midweek games disrupted the training schedule at Woughton, injured trio Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Callum Paterson and Will Collar are all due for a full week on the grass in the lead-up to Saturday’s trip to Salford, while defender Curtis Nelson is due back after a spell away for personal reasons.

Playing five games in 14 days, Dons were beaten on Saturday at the hands of Barnet, ending their 14-game unbeaten run, and dropping five points adrift of leaders Bromley.

However, a week without a game and with the four big characters set to return to the squad, captain Alex Gilbey feels this week will be an important reset for the side with eight games remaining.

“The break has come at a perfect time, it gives us all a time to refresh, it lets us bring some of our artillery back,” he said. “They’ve been training for a few weeks now.

“I’m so proud of the group with how we’ve had to deal with the injuries we’ve had. It would’ve been easy to point at who we’re missing and sulk about it, but we’ve always bounced back. We’ll be so happy to have them back though, because we have missed them, not just on the pitch but in the dressing room. We can get our superstars back.

“From day one, the gaffer has always told us ‘next man up’ and we’ve heard it so often this season. Lads have come in and taken their opportunities. It would have been easy for people not to. We’re heading into the business end of the season, and with some of our big players back we’ll see where it takes us.”

Despite the defeat to Barnet, Gilbey still believes they are still in the League Two title fight, adding: “Absolutely, we still know what we’re going for. We’ve had one small bump in the road, We’ll rest up, get everyone back and attack this week.”