Brentford v MK Dons preview

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Will Grigg is set to miss in-form Brentford’s home game against MK Dons.

The Northern Ireland striker picked up a hamstring injury during the 3-2 Boxing Day win over Swindon – the Bees’ 10th victory in 11 League One outings – and joins winger Kadeem Harris (hamstring) on the sidelines.

George Saville will be checked on after he missed out against the Robins through illness.

Fellow midfielders Toumani Diagouraga and Sam Saunders have also been struggling with the bug, but they were able to take their places in the squad and should be involved again.

MK Dons will be without the suspended Stephen Gleeson when they travel to in-form Brentford.

Gleeson received his fifth yellow card of the season during the 2-0 win at Crawley on Boxing Day and the midfielder will serve a one-match ban against the Bees, who have won 10 games in their current 11-match unbeaten streak in the league.

Leading scorer Patrick Bamford and defender Shaun Williams both came off with injuries before the end against Crawley but Dons boss Karl Robinson is hopeful the duo will be fit in time for Sunday.

He said: “Shaun’s got a bit of a twinge after a knock to his back and Patrick has rolled his ankle but I can’t see why they wont be okay.”

Brentford v MK Dons preview

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Brentford have a host of injury concerns to contend with.

Jonathan Douglas and Marcello Trotta have both been carrying knocks over the last week while fellow midfielder Harry Forrester was taken off as a precaution with a hamstring problem at Southend on Tuesday.

Striker Farid El Alagui (knee) and midfielders Kevin O’Connor (ankle) and Tom Adeyemi (hamstring) are still on the sidelines.

Manager Uwe Rosler rested defenders Tony Craig and Shaleum Logan, midfielder Adam Forshaw and striker Clayton Donaldson for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at Roots Hall so they should be back to face the Dons.

Youngster Jake Reeves could keep his place in midfield after returning from his loan spell with AFC Wimbledon earlier this week.

Daniel Powell could be fit for MK Dons’ trip to Brentford.

Powell has been nursing a hamstring injury for several weeks but the midfielder may come into consideration for a place on the bench at Griffin Park.

A hamstring problem has seen on-loan forward Patrick Bamford return to parent club Chelsea for treatment and the teenager will continue to be monitored.

Dean Lewington is another player to have a hamstring twinge recently but the captain came through the full 90 minutes against AFC Wimbledon on Sunday and he is expected to continue at left-back.

Ryan Lowe started the FA Cup second-round victory against Wimbledon but he faces a battle with Alan Smith and former Brentford striker Charlie MacDonald for a place in the starting XI.

Brentford v MK Dons preview

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Karleigh Osborne hopes to return to the Brentford squad.

The centre-half made his comeback for the reserves last week after two months out with a foot injury.

However, boss Uwe Rosler stuck with Leon Legge and Southampton loanee Harlee Dean at centre-half, with Marcel Eger on the bench, for the 1-1 Boxing Day draw against Bournemouth.

Club captain Kevin O’Connor is still on the sidelines with the ankle injury he suffered against Basingstoke in the FA Cup last month, and fellow midfielder Jake Reeves has also been struggling with an ankle problem.

Mike Grella, Marcus Bean and Myles Weston are pushing for starts should Rosler opt to freshen up his side.

Meanwhile, MK Dons will be without suspended midfielder Luke Chadwick.

Chadwick collected his fifth yellow card of the season during the 3-0 victory at Leyton Orient on Boxing Day and will serve a one-match ban.

The fixture at Griffin Park will be the last of Mark Beevers’ loan spell from Sheffield Wednesday, but the defender may have already played his last game for the Dons. With Beevers set to return to the Owls, Mathias Doumbe was recalled against Orient.

Manager Karl Robinson explained: “I had to make the decision as to whether or not to play him until he leaves in January or to do it now to see how Mathias Doumbe and the back four cope. Doumbe coming in was exceptional and that shows our strength in depth.”

Robinson dropped a strong hint during the week that Angelo Balanta may have a prominent role to play against Brentford.

Midfielders Shaun Williams, Daniel Powell and James O’Shea will also be hoping for recalls.

Brentford v MK Dons preview

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Brentford will check on Gary Alexander, who has missed the last two matches with an ankle knock but is close to returning to fitness.

Defender David McCracken is still sidelined with a calf problem and forward Carl Cort is a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury.

Manager Andy Scott has shuffled his pack over the last two games, the FA Cup draw against Aldershot and Tuesday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy penalty shoot-out win against Swindon.

Goalkeeper Richard Lee will hope to keep his place ahead of Reading loanee Ben Hamer while Charlie MacDonald, Myles Weston and Karleigh Osborne are likely to return to the starting line-up.

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson is again struggling for numbers ahead of the trip to Griffin Park.

Robinson has only been able to name four substitutes in the last two games and will again be short of fit players.

Defender Gary MacKenzie will complete his three-match ban following his red card at Tranmere and fellow centre-half Sean O’Hanlon is still out with his stomach muscle injury.

Player-coach Dietmar Hamann has been restricted to the bench for the last two games through illness but is back to close to his best while reserve goalkeeper Stuart Searle has a hand injury.

Strikers Jermaine Easter (thigh) and Aaron Wilbraham missed the goalless FA Cup draw at Stevenage last weekend and will be given late fitness tests.

Jabo Ibehre is definitely out after he jarred his knee in training last week and Jude Stirling remains a long-term casualty with a groin injury.