Lee Hughes has described the clash with Mk Dons as a "Cup final" as Athletic prepare for their first ever visit to Stadium:MK.
Latics fell into sixth place in League One as opponents made up ground in midweek following a 1-0 loss to Colchester United at Boundary Park last weekend.
Now Hughes and his team-mates are looking to show a reaction and pull off a victory against a Dons side who have spent a large portion of the season in the top two.
While Leicester may be cruising to the league title, second place - currently occupied by Peterborough - is still very much up for grabs.
And a second successive promotion would be a massive boost for a Dons side who have made rapid progress since forming out of the old Wimbledon FC.
Meanwhile Latics harbour their own aspirations of Championship football and a victory would provide the shot in the arm the Boundary Park outfit are looking for.
The Dons moved into their new 30,000-capacity facility at the beginning of last season as boss Paul Ince masterminded a League Two championship.
As well as storming the division with 97 points - five ahead of second-placed Peterborough - Ince's men also bagged the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by beating Grimsby at Wembley.
But there were big changes in the summer as Ince left for an ill-fated spell at Blackburn Rovers and first-time gaffer Roberto Di Matteo stepped into the hotseat.
A high-profile appointment, Di Matteo forged a reputation as a world-class footballer with Chelsea before his career was ended by injury.
He has made a good fist of being a boss so far, collecting 64 points from 34 games - good enough for third spot, four points behind Peterborough with three games in hand.
Latics inflicted an early defeat on Di Matteo at Boundary Park earlier in the season, running out 2-0 winners courtesy of Lee Hughes' early strike and a late Mark Allott drive.
So the Dons will be looking for revenge. Each of their last four outings have ended in draws, including the 1-1 stalemate with Lee Clark's Huddersfield Town at Stadium:MK in midweek.
Di Matteo's men have scored 30 goals and conceded 18 on home turf, where they have won nine games, drawn three and lost five (versus Swindon, Peterborough, Stockport, Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient).
Interestingly Athletic have registered a win and a draw in their last two visits to Milton Keynes (at their former home, the National Hockey Stadium).
Manager John Sheridan has a vacant spot in defence alongside Sean Gregan as Reuben Hazell begins a two-match ban. Stefan Stam and loanee Seb Hines will battle it out for a start.
On-loan goalkeeper Jan Budtz wins a recall to the starting XI as Greg Fleming has been ruled out by injury. Third-choice stopper Josh Bell will also travel to provide cover.
Meanwhile Chris Taylor is included in the squad, but the winger will undergo a late fitness test prior to the game. Veteran winger Andy Liddell is again standing by to come in.
Young striker Lewis Alessandra will provide competition for Lee Hughes and Steven Kabba as on-loan Hull forward Dean Windass has been omitted from the squad and will not travel.
Dons skipper Dean Lewington is back after a ban, but Tore Andre Flo (calf) and Danny Swailes (Achilles) are likely to miss out.
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Latics (from): Budtz, Eardley, Golbourne, Stam, Whitaker, Allott, Hughes, Kabba, Lomax, Maher, Gregan, Taylor, Jones, Liddell, Hines, Smalley, Alessandra, Bell.
