10:11am Saturday 20th March 2010
KARL Robinson doesn’t think Saints can cope with MK Dons in full flow – even though Alan Pardew’s men have already beaten them three times this season.
The Dons assistant believes they are better than any side in League One on their day and has told his players not to be over-awed this afternoon.
Saints have swept Milton Keynes comfortably aside on all three occasions this season – twice in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and once in the league.
The outspoken Robinson admitted that had “hurt” him. But he has promised his team will be better than that today and will take Saints on “like men”.
“It should be one that the fans come to and enjoy, and we shouldn’t get overawed by Southampton, but it hurts me that we have lost to them three times,”
he said. “We need to come out of the traps fighting and really stand up and be counted, and I’m sure we will do.
“If you are going to be successful at any level you’ve got to go and win these games. These are the sort of big games footballers should thrive on.
“There is not a team in this league who can cope with us when we are playing our football.
“Teams come here and play a different way and we need to make sure we’re ready to take them on like men.”
Robinson added they would not be welcoming former player Jason Puncheon back to stadium: mk either – because he is too good.
“We won’t welcome him back because he is a good player,” he continued.
“We will need to set up correctly and do our jobs right, but we can’t concentrate on him – they have also got Adam Lallana, Lee Barnard, Rickie Lambert and other superb players.”
The Dons are expected to field the same side that drew 3-3 at Brentford on Saturday.
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