After MK Dons saw their home encounter with Cheltenham Town postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak among the visitors’ squad, Liam Manning’s side have had a few extra days to rest, recuperate and prepare for their first fixture of 2022.
The Dons won their most recent league game on Boxing Day when they came from two goals down against Lincoln City to win 3-2 away from home, thanks to second-half strikes from Matt O’Riley and Scott Twine (2), with the latter scoring a dramatic 90th-minute winner to seal all three points.
Manning’s men currently sit just outside the playoffs in seventh place, four points behind sixth-placed Wycombe Wanderers, though they do have a game in hand.
MK Dons, who cruised to a 4-1 victory away at Gillingham earlier this season, will be looking to take advantage of the Gills’ poor run of form with another win to kick-start the New Year in style.
Gillingham head into Saturday’s game having not taken to the pitch since December 11 following the postponement of their fixtures against Crewe Alexandra and Charlton Athletic due to COVID-19.
Steve Evans will be desperate for his side to play and end their miserable run of form, which has seen them fail to win any of their last 11 games across all competitions, including defeats in each of their last six matches.
This disappointing spell has seen the Gills slip to 23rd in the League One standings, just one point above basement club Crewe and five points adrift of safety.
Gillingham, who are experiencing their eighth consecutive season in the third tier, need to turn their fortunes around quickly if they wish to stay at this level of the English football pyramid.
The Gills have lost each of their last four visits to Stadium MK, conceding 10 goals in the process, so a bright start to the New Year may be a tall order for Evans’s men
