Wycombe Wanderers and MK Dons will do battle in a crucial meeting on Saturday, with the sides sat just three points and one place apart at the top end of the League One table.
A defeat last time out saw the hosts drop to fourth spot in England's third tier, while their visitors have climbed to fifth thanks to a strong run of form, most recently defeating Burton Albion on Tuesday.
Match preview
In their bid for an immediate promotion back to the Championship under Gareth Ainsworth, Wycombe Wanderers looked to have kicked into gear recently, earning 10 points from the first four league games of the new year.
The Chairboys picked up victories over Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United alongside a commendable 3-3 draw with promotion rivals Sunderland - in which Joe Jacobsen salvaged a point with a 98th-minute equaliser at Adams Park.
However, the Buckinghamshire outfit were brought crashing back down to earth in a tough clash with strugglers Morecambe last time out, as second-half goals from Jonah Ayunga and Cole Stockton handed the Shrimps a 3-2 win after Ainsworth's side led 2-1 through Adebayo Akinfenwa and Jack Grimmer.
While they should not be too alarmed, given that was just a sixth league defeat of the season for Wycombe, it did trigger a drop to fourth spot, with the Chairboys now two points behind second-placed Sunderland and a point behind third-placed Rotherham United who hold two games in hand.
They will look to bounce back with a three-point haul on Saturday but face a tough test against an MK Dons side who sit just three points worse off.
After last season's 13th-placed finish and the summer appointment of Liam Manning, Saturday's visitors have taken huge strides this season, establishing themselves as playoff contenders.
They head into Saturday's trip having won three of their last four League One outings, firstly recording consecutive victories over AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth before they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of basement side Doncaster Rovers last Saturday.
Manning's men bounced back instantly, as Scott Twine hit a 95th-minute winner in their trip to Burton Albion that looked set to end goalless on Tuesday, seeing the Dons earn a 14th three-point haul of the campaign, just four fewer than they managed in the entirety of last season.
On the back of that dramatic victory, the Stadium MK side will look to take a major scalp in their bid to strengthen their position in the fight for promotion to the Championship.
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Team News
Wycombe's only absentee should be midfielder Dominic Gape, who continues to recover from an injury.
Despite conceding three goals last time out, Ainsworth is unlikely to alter his trusted back three of Joe Jacobsen, Ryan Tafazolli and Anthony Stewart that has excelled for the majority of the campaign.
Veteran forward Adebayo Akinfenwa marked a rare start with an early goal in that game, and he will again hope to lead the line with the support of Brandon Hanlan.
MK Dons' squad has already taken several hits in the January transfer window, with defender Peter Kioso returning to parent club Luton Town and goalkeeper Andy Fisher and star midfielder Matt O'Riley departing for Swansea City and Celtic respectively.
Reinforcements have arrived, though, with Connor Wickham and Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Theo Corbeanu bolstering the front line, Conor Coventry offering another midfield option and Chelsea prospect Jamie Cumming taking the place between the sticks.
The Dons' attack will also feature Scott Twine, who netted the dramatic late winner last time out to take his tally to 12 league goals alongside eight assists in the third tier so far this season.
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stockdale; Stewart, Tafazolli, Jacobsen; Grimmer, Mehmeti, Thompson, Obita; Hanlan, Akinfenwa, McCleary
MK Dons possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Watson, O'Hora, Lewington, Harvey; McEachran, Coventry; Corbeanu, Twine, Parrott; Eisa
We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 MK Dons
With two strong sides and two differing styles clashing, we would not be surprised by any outcome on Saturday but see a draw as the most likely.
Both possess the tools to hurt one another, but as two of the league's tightest defences, they may cancel each other out at Adams Park.
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