MK Dons v Sheffield United: Free-scoring Dons are a challenge for Blades

The Blades are certainly forewarned as they head south, with the high-flying Buckinghamshire outfit boasting the best goals for tally on home soil in the Football League at a whopping 33 in 12 matches.

The score stands at 1-1 from league and cup meetings this term, with the Blades winning 2-1 in a Capital One Cup clash in the autumn, but unluckily losing 1-0 in a league fixture at Bramall Lane on December 2.

Clough would take a repeat of the display, if not the scoreline in the clash at S2 when his side made all the running and restricted MK to very little.

That said, it is fair to say the hosts are more free-flowing in their own back garden.

Clough, whose side are partway through a pivotal January on three fronts, said: “They have an ability to score goals and are one of these teams who are very hot and they have scored seven at home, which is an awful lot for one game.

“(Benik) Afobe will be a big loss for them, but they still have lots of threats and are a confident side when they are on song.

“But we restricted them to one shot at Bramall Lane, but unfortunately that ended up in the back of our net.

“We closed them down that night and our pressing was superb and Karl Robinson said afterwards that no-one had put them under so much pressure.”

Happy with his side’s recent form, he added: “We have had a great start to the month.

“Our form wasn’t bad in December, but the results weren’t probably what we deserved from some of the performances. We still have an opportunity to make the ground up to the top two.”