Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s EFL Trophy clash between MK Dons and Swindon Town, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Clinging to their slim hopes of progression from Southern Group D of the EFL Trophy, Swindon Town will travel to face MK Dons at Stadium MK on Tuesday.
The Dons could make it four wins from their last six games in midweek, while the Robins are aiming for a third victory on the bounce.
Match preview
Paul Warne‘s MK Dons are fighting for promotion to League One this season, but they have already been eliminated from the EFL Trophy ahead of this clash.
In their two previous outings, the Dons were thrashed 5-1 by West Ham Under-21s in early September, before a narrow 1-0 defeat on the road to Reading on October 7.
Those losses have Warne’s side at the bottom of their group without a single point, leaving them six short of the second-placed Royals with only one game to play.
However, MK Dons come into Tuesday’s contest in good form overall, having won five, drawn one and lost just two of their last eight games across all competitions.
With that in mind, it would be fair to say that the hosts are prioritising League Two, but with back-to-back home victories prior to kick off, they could maintain their momentum with another triumph in midweek.
Meanwhile, Ian Holloway‘s Swindon stumbled in October, winning just one of their five matches, but they seem to have turned a corner just in time for this game.
On Saturday, the Robins took all three points in a 2-1 fourth-tier victory over Tranmere Rovers, courtesy of goals from Ollie Palmer and Finley Munroe.
That triumph has Holloway’s men second in League Two, where they are level on 29 points with top-of-the-table Walsall and are pushing for automatic promotion at the very least.
Hoping to prove that their resurgence is sustainable, Swindon are looking for a third consecutive win across all competitions, and with five wins from their seven most recent away games, the visitors will be confident of their chances.
Additionally, the Robins are three points behind Reading in the EFL Trophy, and the fact that they know that only another win – and making up the two goal-difference on their rivals – will be enough to see them progress is sure to be a motivator.
MK Dons EFL Trophy form:
MK Dons form (all competitions):
Swindon Town EFL Trophy form:
Swindon Town form (all competitions):
Team News
After Rushian Hepburn-Murphy notched a brace and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing bagged a pair of assists against Colchester United in the FA Cup, the duo could be leading the line once again in midweek.
At the opposite end of the pitch, a back three of Luke Offord, Marvin Ekpiteta and Jack Sanders are likely to be protecting Connal Trueman in goal, while Aaron Nemane and Jon Mellish provide width from wing-back.
As for Swindon, Aaron Drinan sat out against Tranmere after being sent off against Rotherham United in the FA Cup, and he could come back into the XI on Tuesday.
If Warne’s lineup in that cup clash is anything to go by, then Drinan may be joined by Paul Glatzel and Ollie Palmer up top, with the trio supported from out wide by Joe Snowdon and Joel McGregor, given that Tom Nichols could miss out after he was taken off with an injury on Saturday.
MK Dons possible starting lineup:
Trueman; Offord, Ekpiteta, Sanders; Nemane, Crowley, Kelly, Collar, Mellish; Mendez-Laing; Hepburn-Murphy
Swindon Town possible starting lineup:
Ripley; Wright, Kirkman, Wilson-Brown; McGregor, Clarke, Kilkenny, Snowdon; Drinan, Glatzel, Palmer
We say: MK Dons 1-3 Swindon Town
MK Dons have been in good form overall but after losing both games in the EFL Trophy so far, they may be at less than 100% on Tuesday.
In contrast, Swindon know exactly what they need to do to progress, and they could come out flying at Stadium MK in midweek.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
No Data Analysis info
Previews by email
Click here to get Sports Mole‘s daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!
