Manager Karl Robinson is hopeful his players can round off a testing seven days by taking three points away from Sheffield United tomorrow afternoon.
The Dons hit the road for their second away fixture of the week earlier this morning, just two days after the side arrived back in Milton Keynes following their two-day stay in the North East for the Capital One Cup tie away at Sunderland.
The situation has hardly been ideal for the Dons but boss Robinson is not making any excuses and fully expects his side, which will be revamped, to put on a performance.
Speaking to MK Dons Player earlier today, the 32-year-old said: “We lost a night’s sleep this week because we didn’t get back from Sunderland until 3 in the morning and so the recovery programme this week has been a little bit more difficult. We’ll then be in another bed tonight but that’s the way the industry is. We’re very tired but we’re going to Sheffield very strong mentally so hopefully our mind outweighs our bodies.
“Our players are looking very strong. I will make changes to the team that played the other night and we’ll be able to freshen it up again. There will be players who will be at their best because they’re now fully recovered.
“I’ve got a team in mind but although I usually tell them today, I’m going to tell them tomorrow instead. I want to keep them all hungry, I want to keep them all guessing but I also want them to realise they are lucky when they do hear the names because there are players on the bench willing to take their places at any time.”
The Dons’ opponents, Sheffield United, have made a disappointing start to the season by their high standards, having lost twice and drawn once since their slender opening day win at home to Notts County.
Robinson, though, believes David Weir and his Blades side will soon find their form and materialise into the title-challengers they were tipped to be at the beginning of the season.
“(Sheffield United) are a massive football club for this level” he added. “They’ve just, this morning, signed Jose Baxter who is a player I’ve tried to sign a number of times. They also brought in Conor Coady earlier this window and he is a boy who I signed at eight years of age, so I know him quite well. They’ve still got some good, good players at that football club.
“To me, David Weir was a wonderful appointment and they’ve got all the fundamental components to be successful.
“When I first came in I don’t think my start was, overall, too great either, however I had a good group of staff and a Chairman who believed in me and I’m sure it’s the same for David at Sheffield. He’s very well respected in football as a person and as a player and I’m sure he will get that as a manager. His experience will only help Sheffield United
“We know the enormity of the challenge but we’re going up there full of confidence. We’ll have a game plan and we’ll go there and try our best. But we’re going up against a big Football Club with a big squad so we’ll see how it goes.”
