Preview: Crewe Alexandra (H)

No new injuries for the Dons for Crewe Alexandra's visit to stadium:mk on Tuesday night, but Sam Baldock remains a doubt as he struggles to shake off a hamstring injury. Leeds loanee Alan Sheehan goes straight into Crewe's squad after signing this week.

Baldock will face a late fitness test after he took part in some of Monday's training session. Tore Andre Flo (calf) and Danny Swailes (achilles) remain sidelined.

In terms of unforced changes manager Roberto Di Matteo is likely to restore either Luke Chadwick or Baldock, if fit, to the starting lineup, in favour of one of the two defensive midfielders that started against Yeovil, Flavien Belson or Alan Navarro. Trialist André Boucaud, if he is offered a deal, is very unlikely to sign in time to feature.

Crewe have a few concerns in defence, and left-back Sheehan has been brought in on loan for the rest of the season to ease those. Regular left-back Billy Jones begins a three-match suspension for a sending off, while centre-back Dennis Lawrence is on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago.

Injury-wise Chris McGready, who can play all the way across the back four, is out with a hamstring problem while midfielder Steven Schumacher misses out with a knee injury.

New Crewe boss Gudjon Thordarson, who took over at Gresty Road in the New Year, has dramatically turned Alex's fortunes around, lifting them from the foot of the table into 18th position and, if their recent form is anything to go by, they will survive comfortably.

Whereas Dons have struggled since the turn of the year, Thordarson's men have won eight out of 15 in the league. On the road they lost their first three under the Icelandic manager but have since won two and drawn one, one notable result a 1-0 victory over another side transformed under new management, Colchester United.

After an excellent February in which they won four and lost one, they have won only two of their last six, and will not be getting complacent just yet with trips fixtures against the likes of Millwall, Oldham and Leicester still looming.

Although performances have generally looked okay, the Dons form since the turn of the year has just not been good enough to earn promotion and for the first time on Saturday Di Matteo's side lost the ability to jump back into the promotion places with their games in hand. Wins in their two games in hand remaining are a must if they are to keep in touch with 2nd placed Peterborough United. Tonight's fixture is one of those two.

Dons have won one of their last seven, drawing being the main problem with only one lost in that same period. After three 1-1s and one 2-2, a 6-2 thrashing of Oldham was a bright spot in a poor last thirty days, a 0-1 defeat and 0-0 stalemate following that result.

The reverse of this fixture at Gresty Road was a very inconsistent MK side's first draw of the season, as Chadwick's equaliser secured a point. Baldock had given the Dons a 15th minute lead before Sean O'Hanlon's own goal and Shaun Miller's strike had put Alex ahead. Chadwick equalised with a little over ten minutes left on the clock.

In the 2003/04 season Dons travelled to Gresty Road as Wimbledon but having moved to Milton Keynes, and Billy Jones, now at Preston North End, got the only goal in a 1-0 victory for Alex. Future teammates at West Ham Dean Ashton and Nigel Reo-Coker went head-to-head in that fixture.

In terms of playing staff there are a couple of links between the two sides. In 2001 Alan Navarro played 15 times for Crewe while on loan from Liverpool, scoring once. Alex this season secured a loan move for Tottenham's Jake Livermore, who spent a month in Milton Keynes last season, making five appearances, but a fractured fibula saw that spell end prematurely.

The referee for Tuesday night's match will be Mr J J Linington, who is enjoying his first season on the Football League. He has never before taken charge of a Dons fixture despite spending most of this season on League One and Two matches. His assistants will be Mr M Blackledge and Mr D D Bushell. The fourth official will be Mr C J Francis.