Can Exiles claim statement victory?

Newport County face one of League Two's sternest tests as they look to bounce back after successive fourth-tier defeats this Saturday.

The Exiles were left licking their wounds after their 1-0 home loss to Salford City on Tuesday, which came on the back of last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Grimsby Town.

Boss David Hughes felt his side did not do much wrong in the Salford reverse – but a step up in performance level is likely to be required when MK Dons come to Rodney Parade this weekend.

MK Dons finished a lowly 19th in League Two last season, only three places above Newport, but big things are expected of Paul Warne's team this season.

Former Rotherham and Derby boss Warne (above) is a serial promotion winner, and he has been backed in the transfer market this summer with the likes of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Callum Patterson and Aaron Collins moving to Stadium MK.

Having begun 2025-26 as favourites to go up, Warne's men are fifth in the early-season table after winning two and drawing two of their four league games so far.

Newport are without a victory in eight home games in all competitions, a run which stretches back to March.

It would be quite a statement should Hughes' side end that sequence against the heavyweight opponents who come next.