Preview: MK Dons vs. Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

MK Dons and Charlton Athletic meet at Stadium MK on Tuesday for the third game of the new League One season, with both teams looking to push on after less-than-ideal starts to their respective campaigns.

The sides find themselves in 15th and 18th in the table, having both drawn their opening game before suffering a one-goal defeat the following weekend.

Match preview

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MK Dons are still adjusting to life under a new manager - or, rather, head coach - after the sudden departure of Russell Martin to Championship side Swansea City.

Liam Manning was appointed as The Dons' first ever head coach on Friday - with the differences between the newly named role and the previous one of manager not yet totally clear - arriving after his first foray into management at Lommel SK in Belgium, which followed spells in youth roles for West Ham United and New York City.

Whatever his precise role, Manning was immediately put to work, with a challenging test in the form of a visit from Sunderland the very next day.

A spirited showing by the team was not rewarded as they went down 2-1 - goals from Ross Stewart and Elliot Embleton putting the Black Cats two up at half time, with Troy Parrott's first goal for the club proving to be simply a consolation.

Manning was content with the performance, though, saying that he saw plenty of positive signs on which to build. He will need to find a way to build fast if he is to ensure his side do not get left behind in the race for promotion, and the next challenge has come up very quickly with the game against Charlton just 72 hours later.

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For the fourth time in the last five years, Charlton are competing in the third tier of English football and, on the eve of the season, expectation had risen for a positive campaign.

Nigel Adkins - who replaced Lee Bowyer in March - took charge for the final 10 league games of last season, losing only once, with the Addicks narrowly missing out on a playoff spot by goal difference in seventh place.

The 56-year-old has been a popular appointment among the Charlton fanbase, but the first two games of this campaign have been underwhelming.

After a dull 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day, Adkins' side fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oxford United on Saturday, with Conor Washington's penalty providing the first Charlton goal of the season but ultimately counting for very little.

Team News

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MK Dons have no significant injury worries, with a goalkeeping dilemma seemingly the biggest worry for Manning, after Andrew Fisher made his debut in the loss to Sunderland and showed enough promise to retain his place.

Former Chelsea man Josh McEachran also made a first appearance of the season, with a cameo from the bench, and may now receive a full 90 minutes as part of a 3-4-1-2 formation.

Charlton's new recruit Craig MacGillivray is set to continue in goal and will likely be protected by central defenders Ryan Inniss and Norwich City loanee Akin Famewo.

Left-back Ben Purrington is still recovering from a knock during pre-season and Jake Forster-Caskey remains a long-term absence as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury in May, whilst the involvement of another new signing in Charlie Kirk is in the balance as the 23-year-old sadly deals with the death of his father.

MK Dons possible starting lineup:
Fisher; Jules, O'Hora, Darling; Watson, O'Riley, Twine, McEachran, Harvie; Eisa, Parrott

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Matthews, Inniss, Famewo, Gunter; Clare, Dobson, Morgan; Jaiyesimi, Stockley, Washington

We say: MK Dons 1-2 Charlton Athletic

Both sides really need a win here and the pair have a varied record against each other, with two wins each and a draw in their previous five meetings. Adkins' extra experience should pay dividends, however, as Manning finds his feet in his new role.