Perhaps a welcome break from league football as Northampton Town & Milton Keynes Dons face off to decide who makes it to next stage of the EFL Trophy. All the pre-match information is available here!
Milton Keynes Dons could be less fresh than the hosts in this fixture, as they played a FA Cup game only three sleeps ago. That game was also an away game, at Burnley. It will be interesting to see if they are fully ready and rested for this match, and/or if some changes in the lineup is necessary.
Northampton Town form and stats
This is not the first game this season in the EFL Trophy for Northampton, as the manager K. Curle led his troops to eliminate Exeter City, Stevenage, Southampton U21 and Milton Keynes Dons, and reach the 3rd Round. Last season their EFL Trophy adventure ended in the 2nd round.Northampton Town's results here at PTS ACADEMY STADIUM in the League One have been very modest with 3 victories, 3 draws and 6 defeats. On the other hand, in the EFL Trophy, Northampton Town has performed like this (both home and away): 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.
Northampton drew their last game, also a home match. Sunderland was the opponent, 0-0 the score. Previous to that game, a League One home match hosting Gillingham in a game that was won 3-1.
Some members of the home team might already be thinking of their next match, the League One game versus Oxford United in only four days. This game is also played here at PTS ACADEMY STADIUM.
Northampton have scored 8 league goals here from 12 matches, not a lot. 17 goals have been conceded. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only -1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 home matches.
Milton Keynes Dons form and stats
The traveling awayteam has defeated Northampton Town, Stevenage, Southampton U21 and Norwich City U21 in order to reach 3rd Round of EFL Trophy. Milton's mission in EFL Trophy last season failed in the 3rd round.Milton Keynes Dons have only collected 11 points from their away games in the League One, after 3-2-6 (11 played). The mentioned statistics is only from the league, looking at the EFL Trophy stats, they have 3 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss both home and away.
It's another away game for the visitors, as they travelled to Burnley (after extra-time, 4-3 on penalties) in their previous outing. The FA Cup match ended in a draw 1-1. Preceding that game was the away League One victory against Swindon Town with the score of 4-1.
Lee Nicholls had red hot gloves after the game against Burnley (after extra-time, 4-3 on penalties), shaping the outcome of the game with nine saves made.
The visitors will be packing their bags again in only four days as another away game awaits: The League One trip to Peterborough United.
Milton have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 11 league away games 12 goals have been scored. 14 goals have been conceded by Milton Keynes Dons in these games. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only -1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 away matches.
Head 2 Head
This is the result when the teams met earlier this season; Milton Keynes Dons - Northampton 3-1. Northampton Town-Milton Keynes Dons H2H statistics last ten meetings regardless of arena: Northampton three wins, Milton Keynes Dons four wins, three draws. seven of these ten matches had three or more goals (over 2,5).Top Goalscorers
  S. Fraser 7 goals |  C. Jerome 7 goals |   S. Hoskins 3 goals |
Northampton Town missing players
Milton Keynes Dons missing players
| Northampton Town | Milton Keynes Dons | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 13 | Played | P | 14 | 25 | ||
| 8 | 4 | Won | W | 5 | 9 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Drew | D | 3 | 8 | ||
| 13 | 6 | Lost | L | 6 | 8 | ||
| 25 | 11 | Scored | S | 16 | 36 | ||
| 41 | 15 | Conceded | C | 16 | 27 | ||
| 88% | 77% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 86% | 92% | ||
| 80% | 62% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 57% | 76% | ||
| 56% | 31% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 43% | 40% | ||
| 32% | 23% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 21% | 24% | ||
| 8% | 8% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 21% | 16% | ||
| 40% | 15% | BTTS | BTTS | 50% | 56% | ||
| 20% | 38% | Clean Sheets | C S | 29% | 32% | ||
| 52% | 69% | Failed to Score | F T | 36% | 20% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.9 | 1.6 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.1 | 1.8 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | ||
| 8.7 | 8.4 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 9.6 | 10.8 | ||
| 3.2 | 2.6 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.8 | 4 | ||
| 31% | 32% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 30% | 36% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Lincoln City | 21 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 14 | 42 |
| 2 | Hull City | 19 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 31 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 37 |
| 3 | Portsmouth | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 35 |
| 4 | Doncaster Rovers | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 33 |
| 5 | Peterborough United | 19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 33 |
| 6 | Accrington Stanley | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 33 |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 24 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 32 |
| 8 | Ipswich Town | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 32 |
| 9 | Crewe Alexandra | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 30 |
| 10 | Fleetwood Town | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 29 |
| 11 | Sunderland | 18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 29 |
| 12 | Oxford United | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 27 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 28 |
| 13 | Blackpool | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | -3 | 27 |
| 14 | Gillingham | 20 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 23 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 13 | -3 | 26 |
| 15 | Plymouth Argyle | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 21 | -9 | 26 |
| 16 | Milton Keynes Dons | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 25 |
| 17 | Shrewsbury Town | 20 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -4 | 24 |
| 18 | Bristol Rovers | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -7 | 22 |
| 19 | Northampton Town | 21 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 36 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 | -17 | 22 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 15 | -8 | 21 |
| 21 | Rochdale | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 15 | -7 | 19 |
| 22 | Wigan Athletic | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 16 | -14 | 19 |
| 23 | Swindon Town | 20 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 25 | 41 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 23 | -16 | 17 |
| 24 | Burton Albion | 22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 50 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 27 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 23 | -22 | 13 |