Preview: AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons - prediction, team news, lineups

AFC Wimbledon play host to rivals MK Dons on Thursday evening with the opportunity to move into at least second place in the League One table.

Meanwhile, MK Dons are down in 20th position in the standings, albeit with the chance to move to within two points of their opponents.

Match preview

Given AFC Wimbledon's dismal end to 2025-26, it was not beyond the realms of possibility that Johnnie Jackson could lose his job with a poor start to this season.

Despite failure to win any of their first five games in normal time, AFC Wimbledon have responded with three victories from their following four League One fixtures.

Wins - and clean sheets - have been posted against Wigan Athletic, Bromley and Doncaster Rovers to catapult themselves into playoff contention.

Although AFC Wimbledon have scored just five goals in six matches, they have only conceded seven times at the other end of the pitch, all of which came in defeats to Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion.

They can move level on points with leaders Sheffield Wednesday with a win, although it would take at least six goals to be scored for AFC Wimbledon to have a chance of overtaking the Owls before the weekend.

Paul Warne will feel a sense of frustration that MK Dons are still awaiting their first victory of 2026-27.

At the same time, only losing one of their opening six matches in their first season back in the third tier of English football should be viewed as a positive.

Draws have been earned against Oxford United, Huddersfield Town, Leicester City, Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United respectively.

Rather impressively, AFC Wimbledon have kept four consecutive clean sheets against MK Dons in all competitions, although the last encounter on away territory in January 2025 ended in a goalless draw.

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

MK Dons League One form:

Team News

Although it took a free kick from Myles Hippolyte to make the difference against Doncaster, Jackson may be prepared to stick with the same AFC Wimbledon XI.

Andy Yiadom, Zack Nelson and Donnell McNeily are all alternatives in defence, midfield and attack should alterations be made.

Midfielder James Tilley is again expected to be sidelined with a hamstring injury that he sustained earlier this month.

Having only conceded an 85th-minute equaliser to Peterborough last time out, Warne is likely to take a similar approach to naming his MK Dons side.

Marvin Ekpiteta is an alternative in defence, as are Dan Barlaser and Jay Matete in midfield.

Despite Sam Nombe failing to score in six starts, Warne has continued to persist with the striker, so Rushian Hepburn-Murphy could remain on the substitutes' bench.

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Sasu, Ogundere, Johnson, Simmonds, Seddon; Maycock, Harrison, Smith, Hippolyte; Stockley

MK Dons possible starting lineup:

Dennis; Jones, Goode, Nelson, Bramall; Wintle; Paterson, Crowley, Gilbey, Collins; Nombe

We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-1 MK Dons

Although AFC Wimbledon have the momentum ahead of this contest, we cannot ignore that MK Dons have made themselves difficult to beat. Taking the rivalry into consideration, too, a low-scoring, hard-fought draw could play out at Plough Lane.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.