FIXTURE DETAILS:
Barnet FC vs MK Dons
Sunday 29th November 2020, 13:30 KO
The Hive London
Emirates FA Cup Second Round
THE DONS
League Position: 17th in League One (P14 W3 D5 L6)
Last Result: MK Dons 2-2 Shrewsbury Town (League One, Tuesday 24th November)
Manager: Russell Martin
Club Captain: Dean Lewington
The Dons were made to work to qualify for the second round of the Emirates FA Cup, needing penalties to get past the Bees Vanarama National League counterparts, Eastleigh.
The Milton Keynes side have struggled to find consistency this season, finding themselves only a point above the relegation zone, in what is already a tight battle in the bottom half of League One. As well as this they have been knocked out of the EFL Cup, though find themselves top of their EFL Trophy group.
Despite their poor form, they recently pulled off an impressive away win, their first in 14 months, against Sunderland.
They also bolster a strong core of players both defensively and offensively, including the likes of Irish International Richard Keogh and former Premier League striker Cameron Jerome, both of which the Bees will have to keep a close eye on.
THE BEES
A well-earned point on Tuesday night against play-off chasers Hartlepool United would have been a big boost for the players, after the previous three games since the last run out in the Emirates FA Cup had all been defeats, in which the Bees had conceded nine goals. Defensively the team looked sharper, especially boosted by the return of captain James Dunne, after he returned to the line up having been injured for nearly a month.
The Bees will know what to expect when Sunday comes around, having already beaten League One Burton Albion 1-0 in the last round of the competition, in what was a well-fought out win, despite having Matt Preston sent off before half time.
MK Dons may offer a different challenge, but as we have seen in the past, the Bees are always up for a cup upset and will be looking to get into the Third Round for the second time in three years.
LAST TIME WE MET:
The sides last met in the First Round of the EFL Trophy back in 2016, with the Dons winning 5-3 on penalties, after the game had initially finished 2-2.
WHERE TO FOLLOW THE ACTION:
Just like the last round, you can follow all the action from today’s Emirates FA Cup clash via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Digital Platforms.
Stay tuned to our social media channels throughout the day as well, where we’ll have the Team News and all the post-match reaction.
