Oldham v MK Dons preview

admin

Brian Wilson returns from suspension for Oldham, but Adam Lockwood will miss out when MK Dons are the visitors to SportsDirect.com Park.

Wilson is back having served his ban following his dismissal at Yeovil and strengthens a defence which is missing Lockwood due to his red card against Barnsley on Saturday.

Interim manager Dean Holden’s options are severely limited by the injuries to seven first-team players who show no sign of returning any time soon.

Hamstring injuries rule out Amari Morgan-Smith, Jacob Mellis, George Elokobi and Joseph Mills, while Liam Kelly (calf), Dominic Poleon (shoulder) and James Wilson (calf) are missing too.

Automatic promotion hopefuls MK Dons are looking to halt a four-game winless run but they will have to do so without the suspended Darren Potter.

Potter received his 10th yellow card of the season during the draw at Walsall on Saturday and the midfielder must now serve a two-match ban.

Back-up goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin (dead leg) could return on the bench at SportsDirect.com Park while Joe Walsh will be hoping to be back in the matchday squad after the defender was overlooked at the weekend.

Teenage midfielder Dele Alli is nearing a return from the ankle injury he suffered a month ago but Tuesday night’s game could come too soon for the Tottenham loanee.

Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club – delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts

Oldham v MK Dons preview

admin

Oldham expect Connor Brown to overcome the knock he has taken on his hip in time for MK Dons’ visit.

The full-back was removed in the second half of Latics’ 1-0 win over Gillingham as a precaution and the club are keeping their fingers crossed on his availability.

This clash is likely to come too soon for midfielder Korey Smith, though, although Oldham’s captain should be back in training this week. Defender Genseric Kusunga is still suspended, and is nursing a slight thigh problem anyway, while Anton Rodgers (knee) remains out.

Teenage striker Jonson Clarke-Harris, who recently penned fresh terms at Boundary Park, was dropped at the weekend after boss Lee Johnson expressed concerns over his attitude and it remains to be seen whether he will be welcomed back.

MK Dons will check on George Baldock ahead of the trip to Oldham.

Baldock limped off towards the end of the defeat at Bradford on Saturday and the 20-year-old midfielder is a doubt for the game on Tuesday night.

Lee Hodson (hip) and Samir Carruthers (knee) look set to remain on the sidelines for the foreseeable future after missing out at the weekend, when the Dons could name just four players on the substitutes’ bench due to the club’s mounting injury problems.

The extent of their injuries are yet to be confirmed but both players will miss the trip to Boundary Park along with long-term absentees Darren Potter (Achilles), Dean Bowditch (groin) and Tom Flanagan (knee).

Oldham v MK Dons preview

admin

Oldham captain Dean Furman hopes to return and aid his club’s League One relegation battle.

Furman returned to training with the Latics squad on Thursday after travelling back at the end of South Africa’s African Nations Cup campaign.

Caretaker manager Tony Philliskirk, taking charge for the first time following Paul Dickov’s resignation last Sunday and Tuesday night’s postponed home game with Yeovil, will assess Furman’s fitness levels before making a final decision on his involvement.

Veteran midfielder Paul Murray, who rejoined Oldham on a free transfer last week and is assisting Philliskirk and goalkeeping coach Paul Gerrard with first-team duties, could make his second debut having been an unused substitute in the 3-1 defeat to Walsall.

Widemen Cristian Montano (thigh) and Youssouf M’Changama (knee) remain on the sidelines along with forward Robbie Simpson (hamstring) and Matt Smith (shoulder).

Scunthorpe’s midweek win over Portsmouth dropped Oldham into the relegation zone.

MK Dons have received a triple injury boost ahead of their trip to the Latics.

Luke Chadwick resumed training this week after a six-week lay-off with knee ligament damage, while fellow winger Daniel Powell and defender Gary MacKenzie were also back in training following hamstring problems.

All three players are expected to be available to manager Karl Robinson at the weekend, but the Dons do continue to be hampered by injuries and suspensions.

Ryan Lowe became the second player in as many matches to be sent off against Bournemouth last week and the striker begins a three-match ban.

Centre-half Antony Kay missed the 3-0 defeat to the Cherries serving the first game of a four-match absence for the red card he received in the defeat at Yeovil.

Midfielder Stephen Gleeson (foot) and on-loan Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford (hamstring) are still recovering from injury.

Oldham v MK Dons preview

admin

Oldham pair Dean Furman and Paul Black could be in the squad for the clash.

Skipper and midfielder Furman has made only two appearances this season due to a knee problem, while defender Black has been sidelined for a month with a groin injury.

Both players returned to full training this week and have suffered no ill-effects, so could be named among the substitutes.

Winger Filipe Morais is expected to retain his place in the side after making his first start since early September in the midweek Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win at Scunthorpe.

Manager Paul Dickov is hoping defender Jean-Yves M’voto can shake off the ankle injury that has kept him out of the last two matches.

The Latics are looking to build on their midweek win having lost their last two league matches.

Meanwhile MK Dons midfielder Stephen Gleeson is back in contention for the game.

Gleeson missed last week’s home win over Notts County due to a one-game ban after reaching five yellow cards and manager Karl Robinson must decide whether to recall him to the starting line-up.

Defender Adam Smith, on loan from Tottenham, is on international duty with England’s Under-21s and goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin is in the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad.

Strikers Jabo Ibehre (hamstring) and Charlie MacDonald (thigh) remain sidelined and midfielder Jay O’Shea (ankle) is not ready to return to action.

The Dons know a win would send them back into second spot.

Oldham v MK Dons preview

admin

Oldham boss Paul Dickov is set to be without a trio of players.

Reuben Hazell (knee), Cedric Evina (ankle) and Kieran Lee (hamstring) are all nursing injuries and none of them are likely to feature against Karl Robinson’s side.

Winger Filipe Morais, who is out of contract in the summer, is still suspended after being sent off against Walsall, while fellow wideman Kirk Millar is also banned.

Paul Black has been sidelined for some weeks following surgery for abdominal/hernia problems, so Dickov will field a similar side to the one that beat Swindon 2-0 last weekend.

The team which started at Swindon included five players aged 19 or under with Ryan Burns, a first-year trainee, handed his first-team debut.

George Baldock will make his full debut for MK Dons.

The Dons have secured their place in the League One play-offs and manager Karl Robinson has taken the opportunity to rest some of his first-team players.

Robinson took the unusual step of naming his team on Thursday afternoon which sees Baldock – younger brother of Dons striker Sam – start in midfield.

There are nine changes in all from the side which beat Notts County last week as Stuart Searle makes a rare appearance in goal and youngsters Adam Chicksen and Tom Flanagan start in defence.

Defender Danny Woodards is back in the side after a hamstring strain but midfielder Luke Chadwick injured his shoulder against County and is a doubt for the play-offs.

Midfielder Peter Leven will miss the play-offs after he fractured a metatarsal in an innocuous incident in training on Thursday.