With seven games to play in League One this season, both MK Dons and Oxford United look set to be at least in the end of season play-offs - although you can't discount the former from making the top two just yet.

Wigan Athletic are three points ahead with two games in hand, but if the Latics lose both of those then it's game on for Liam Manning's team, who are currently clear of nearby rivals Oxford by seven points.

That's not an insurmountable gap to try and close up though and with some interesting fixtures coming up, could Karl Robinson get one over on his former team and finish ahead of them in the table?

Let's take a look at both club's fixture lists for the rest of the season and decide who has the simpler run-in.

MK DONS

Shrewsbury (H), Crewe (H), AFC Wimbledon (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), OXFORD (A), Morecambe (H), Plymouth (A)

No game in League One could ever be classed as an easy one, but when you're a team like the Dons in the form they're in - unbeaten in their last 12 with nine wins in that time - you will go into every match confident.

 

 

 

 

After they play mid-table Shrewsbury next though, the Dons will face two struggling sides fighting for their lives in Crewe Alexandra and bitter rivals AFC Wimbeldon.

Both of those teams will be desperate for points on the board so it will not be as straight-forward as some may imagine - especially when you remember that Doncaster Rovers went to Stadium MK in January and picked up all three points.

The Dons also face play-off rivals Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle, and having failed to win in the reverse fixtures they could prove tricky.

Then of course there is another big match when they make the trip next month to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford and Robinson, and by then there may be little in it in terms of points between the two.

OXFORD UNITED

Plymouth (A), Morecambe (H), Sunderland (H), Fleetwood (A), MK DONS (H), Rotherham (A), Doncaster (H)

 

 

 

 

Oxford's run of fixtures starts with a very tough one next week as they have to make the trip to Plymouth Argyle, who as of now have won their last six matches without conceding a single goal.

The Pilgrims are the team right now between the Dons and the U's in fourth position and they may have leap-frogged the former into third position before they host Robinson's side, but it may get a little easier for Oxford when they welcome Morecambe.

The Shrimps though will be scrapping for survival so it may be a tough match for Oxford, and so will their trip to Fleetwood a week later.

With Sunderland and MK Dons both still to come to the Kassam as well - not to forget a trip to the New York Stadium to face league leaders Rotherham - Oxford still have some mountains to climb if they're going to secure their spot in the top six.

Decision: On paper, it does appear that MK Dons have a bit of an easier run-in.

They are facing more struggling sides than Oxford, but sometimes that can work against you with the relegation battlers more-often than not upping their game in the final matches of the season unless they simply do not have enough quality.

Oxford meanwhile also have some strugglers to play but they also have to balance that with playing no fewer than FOUR promotion rivals, and with teams closing up in the pack behind them it's going to be a very tense end to the season for them.