Pre-season friendly
MK Dons v West Ham United
stadium: mk
Wednesday 28 July 2010
Kick-off: 7.30pm
HIGHLIGHTS AND REACTION TO COME ON WHUTV I LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY ON WHUFC.COM
Introduction
• West Ham United will travel to League One side MK Dons for their fourth pre-season friendly ahead of the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season.
• The Hammers will be looking to make it four wins from four in pre-season. So far, Avram Grant's men have secured victories over League One outfit Peterborough United (2-1), German side VfL Borussia Monchengladbach (2-0) and Greek champions Panathinaikos (1-0).
• Wednesday's fixture could see 2010 FIFA World Cup quartet Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Valon Behrami and Jonathan Spector make their first pre-season appearances following their summer exertions in South Africa.
• The match will be the first of three final pre-season friendly matches contested before the Barclays Premier League season commences with a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday 14 August. Following Wednesday's fixture, Grant and his squad will travel to Championship side Ipswich Town on Saturday before completing their preparations with the visit of Spanish Primera League club RC Deportivo La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 7 August.
Last meeting
• West Ham United last met MK Dons in a pre-season friendly at stadium:mk on 25 July 2008 in a match that saw Sweden international Freddie Ljungberg make his Hammers debut.
• Hogan Ephraim and Matthew Upson, with his first goal for the club, put West Ham 2-1 up before the home side struck back to snatch a 3-2 victory in front of a 9,610-strong crowd.
MK Dons: Steele (Abbey 73), Edds (Howell 73), Lewington (Stirling 73), Andrews (McKoy 73), Murphy (O'Hanlon 52), Diallo, Wright (McGovern 52), Broughton, Knight, Cameron (Morris 60), Dyer
Goals: Wright 12, Andrews 51 (pen), Knight 75
West Ham United: Wright; Spector, Collins, Upson, Gabbidon; Ljungberg (Stokes 66), Dailly, Collison, Boa Morte (Jeffery 90); Ephraim, Bellamy
Subs not used: Stech, Hines, Fitzgerald, Hales
Goals: Ephraim 16, Upson 19
Last time out
Friday 23 July 2010
Pre-season friendly
West Ham United 1-0 Panathinaikos
West Ham United: Stech (Kurucz 46), Tomkins (Fry 73), Da Costa (Spence 73), Gabbidon (Dyer 46), Ilunga (Daprela 61), Noble (Montano 73), Parker (Kovac 46), Hitzlsperger (Diamanti 46), Faubert (Sears 61), Cole (McCarthy 61), Boa Morte (Stanislas 61)
Goals: Hitzlsperger 42
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Pre-season friendly
Kettering Town 1-4 MK Dons
MK Dons: Martin (Searle 79), Gleeson, O'Hanlon (Trialist 56), Trialist (Doumbe 56), Lewington, Chadwick (Chicksen 79), Hamann (Carrington 62), Leven (Guy 69), Balanta (Ibehre 69), Easter (Powell 79), Baldock (Howell 69)
Goals: Balanta 11, Chadwick 47, Gleeson 73, Easter 78
West Ham United
• Avram Grant's West Ham United will be aiming to continue the bright start they have made to their pre-season schedule, which has seen them defeat League One new boys Peterborough United (2-1) at London Road, German Bundesliga challengers VfL Borussia Monchengladbach (2-0) in Ruhpolding and Greek double winners Panathinaikos (1-0) in the Austrian town of Kitzbuhel.
• West Ham will continue their pre-season preparations with a Saturday visit to Championship outfit Ipswich Town before completing their warm-up fixtures with the visit of Spanish Primera Division club RC Deportivo La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground for the SBOBET Cup tie on Saturday 7 August.
• Carlton Cole has been in fine form in pre-season, scoring in the victories over Peterborough and Monchengladbach. Benni McCarthy also enjoyed a fine evening against the Germans, netting his first goal for the club with a fine half-volley.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger has made a bright start to his West Ham career following his summer arrival from SS Lazio, scoring his first goal for the club with a direct free-kick in the 1-0 victory over Panathinaikos.
• Grant's side will kick-off their Premier League campaign with a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday 14 August.
MK Dons
• MK Dons have also recorded three wins from three pre-season friendly matches so far, albeit against slightly less testing opposition. The League One challengers have beaten non-league trio Oxford City (3-0), St Neots Town (3-1) and Kettering Town (4-1), all away from home.
• MK Dons are managed by 29-year-old Karl Robinson, the Football League's youngest manager. The former non-league player worked under former West Ham midfielder Paul Ince as assistant manager last season before being promoted following Ince's departure in May. After his playing days were ended early by a serious back injury, Robinson spent eight years working at the Liverpool Academy before joining MK Dons as first-team coach in 2007.
• After finishing 12th in the League One table last season, the Buckinghamshire club have been active in the transfer market during the summer, with the most notable addition being that of former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Didi Hamann as player-coach. Hamann joined MK Dons following his release by Manchester City.
• Alongside Hamann, MK Dons have also brought in goalkeeper David Martin from Liverpool - the son of former West Ham and England defender Alvin Martin - forward Lewis Guy from Doncaster Rovers and Colombian winger Angelo Balanta on loan from Queens Park Rangers.
• MK Dons will begin their League One campaign with a trip to Walsall on Saturday 7 August.
Team news
• West Ham United manager Avram Grant could call upon his four 2010 FIFA World Cup players - namely Robert Green, Jonathan Spector, Matthew Upson and Valon Behrami - following their return from an extended summer break.
• Long-term injury absentees Zavon Hines and Jack Collison (both knee) will not be available, while the club may give new signings Frederic Piquionne and Pablo Barrera more time to reach full match-fitness before being considered for first-team duty.
• For MK Dons, goalkeeper David Martin will miss out with an ankle injury, while defensive duo Jude Stirling and Darren Mackenzie will also be unavailable. Former Southampton defender Pele could feature as he continues his trial at the club.
General information
• The weather forecast is for light rain showers with a top temperature of around 19C.
• Tickets will be available on the night at stadium:mk, priced at £10 Adults, £6 Concessions and £1 for Under-16s. Under-7s will be admitted free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Supporters are advised to arrive early to avoid congestion.