The opposition may well be a ‘hugely dangerous outfit’ and the bookmakers’ favourites to be crowned League Two champions, but Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris is relishing Saturday’s trip to Milton Keynes Dons.
The meeting at Stadium MK sees fifth play host to sixth, with the hosting Dons two points better off than Harris’ men.
The home side contain a couple of players that are well known to the U’s boss from their time together elsewhere, and the size of the task ahead of his team is certainly not lost on Harris.
Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris. Picture: Simon Lankester
But with Cambridge going into the contest unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions during regulation time, they will make the relatively short journey to Buckinghamshire armed with a useful combination of confidence and momentum.
Harris said: “(They’re a) hugely dangerous outfit and a really good squad. (They’ve got a) real threat going forward, so much pace and power, athleticism, goal threat – they’ve got all of the above.
“They’ve got a couple of players at the top end of the pitch, two brilliant lads in Calum Patterson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. They were big players for me at Cardiff and at this level, they’re just outstanding, an absolute joke. They were brilliant in the Championship for me and they’re really good ages, so they’re still really good now. (They’re) very fortunate to have two players of that calibre.
“The challenge for us is to try to stop them at the top end of the pitch and they’ve got great rotations and movement in midfield – real pace and power.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game and I think they’ll continue to grow and to get better and better as the season goes on, so we know it’s a huge task.
“But, ourselves, we’re in a great place at the moment. I’ve not come across many manager recently that look forward to facing us. And, just because we conceded in the last minute the other day, nothing has changed for us, we’re in a brilliant place.
“The attitude’s class, the atmosphere’s brilliant. And the biggest thing of all, we can’t wait for Milton Keynes at the weekend. It’s a brilliant chance for us.”
After making his return from injury off the bench during the 1-1 draw against Chesterfield on Tuesday night, striker Louie Appere could come into contention for a place in the starting line-up at the weekend.
Meanwhile, the likes of Michael Morrison, Shane McLoughlin, Shayne Lavery, Dom Ball, Zak Bradshaw and Kylian Kouassi all remain sidelined.
