Graham Alexander marvelled at the rapid progress of his MK Dons side after they held on for a point against unbeaten Notts County.
Alexander landed the League Two Manager of the Month award for August after a pleasing start to his Dons tenure and remains unbeaten on home soil after a 1-1 draw with the Magpies.
Daniel Harvie fired the hosts ahead, but they invited pressure late on after Kyle Cameron’s equaliser, leaving Alexander delighted with his team’s resolve.
He said: “It’s a good point because I think they’re a really good team.
“They’ve been together for 14-16 months playing the same way; we’re seven games into our beginning and we’ve got to be really happy and content with what we’ve done so far.
“They had a lot of possession in front of us and around us, but I thought we managed their threats really well, and they have them because they are very good.
“But we showed we had good quality as well. Straight after half-time, a fantastic goal and great quality.”
The Dons fell to their second defeat of the season at Crewe last time out as they squandered an early lead to slip to a disappointing 3-1 loss.
And Alexander believes their inability to extend their advantage proved their undoing once more.
He said: “I just maybe rue the lack of composure in a few opportunities in the second half after that goal.
“But I can’t fault the players today. They were magnificent.”
“We had to have a little response from last week and when we had the ball we used it wisely and well and when they had it we were disciplined in our shape.”
County pushed hard late on and very nearly snatched victory courtesy of a Macaulay Longstaff header, but boss Luke Williams was happy to accept a point which keeps his side inside the promotion places.
He said: “I think it was a very high-quality game for League Two.
“I thought MK Dons were very, very strong. They have real quality and they’re disciplined defensively and they were fantastic on the counter.
“For us, I was so happy because I thought they dealt with the fact it was a big game away from home against very high-quality players for the level. They dealt with all of that well.
“Disappointed to concede the goal because it seemed like one lapse in concentration from the whole game. We came back into the game and finished very strong.
“We don’t like to lose and this is going to be a tough place for every team in the division to come to try to get anything at all. I think overall we should be happy.”
International record goalscorer Sinclair to retire after NWSL season
Christine Sinclair, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League in November.
Sinclair, 41, has 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, making her the top scorer across both men's and women's football.
She has played for the NWSL's Portland Thorns since 2013, helping them to win the inaugural title that year. She added further league crowns to her collection in 2017 and 2022.
The Canadian great has had similar success with her national team, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also one of three players to score at five World Cups, alongside Brazil's Marta and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sinclair retired from international football in December 2023, and will now call time on her club career.
"Portland, thank you will never be enough. Soccer has been my passion since I was four years old and it has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined," Sinclair wrote on Instagram.
"As I finish out this last ride, I want to say what a privilege it has been to represent this unique, beautiful, and passionate city that I will always call home."
Dorival calls for patience over Neymar's Brazil return
Brazil head coach Dorival Junior called for Neymar to be given as much time as he needs to make a full recovery from a knee injury before returning to the national side.
Neymar ruptured his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty last October in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, missing the Copa America as a result.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery and returned to training with Al-Hilal in July, but he is yet to make his comeback, with head coach Jorge Jesus saying this week the Brazilian was not ready.
Neymar is Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances and is 15 caps shy of breaking Cafu's record for the most outings for the Selecao.
But the forward is again missing from the Brazil squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru next month, with Dorival saying he will wait until the right moment to welcome Neymar back into the fold.
"We'll wait, we'll be patient, it doesn't matter if he can't come back in October, November or even February," Dorival said.
"He needs to be confident, he needs to play and above all he needs to be completely healed from this injury.
"We are starting to realise how important he is.
"If he returns in the coming years, we will have one of the greatest players in world football at a remarkable moment in his career and in our national team."
Dorival recalled Barcelona winger Raphinha and Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli for their upcoming fixtures next month.
Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick were the other attacking options included for the five-time world champions.
Brazil have 10 points from eight qualifiers after losing four of their last five matches, leaving them fifth and just one point above Paraguay, who occupy the play-off spot.
Guardiola declares "war" on Arsenal in escalating rivalry
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City had been "provoked" into a "war" with Arsenal after the two sides drew 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium in a drama-filled clash.
City players John Stones and Kyle Walker suggested the Gunners used the "dark arts" as they sought to defend a 2-1 lead in the second half with 10 men.
Mikel Arteta's men had just one shot and 12.4% possession following the break, after Leandro Trossard had been sent off just before half-time.
While Stones salvaged a point with a late equaliser, Arsenal’s defensive approach led Guardiola to call into question what had previously been a cordial relationship with former protegee Arteta.
"Gabriel [Magalhaes] said it perfectly in the press after the match, so this is a war. We have to provoke the opponent, to push them, and at the end, what can you do? You provoke me, OK, I'm there," the City boss told the media.
"You want a war? Now we war."
Last Sunday's result means City have failed to beat Arsenal in their last four meetings in all competitions.
Arsenal had overturned a 1-0 deficit in the first half after an early Erling Haaland goal to lead 2-1 through Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
When asked about accusations of the "dark arts", Arteta reflected the claims back on his opponents in reference to the time he spent at City as Guardiola's assistant.
"I was there for four years. I have all the information, so I know, believe me," the Spaniard jibed.
The City boss responded: "Next time Mikel has to be more clear about exactly what he means.
"He said he was here four years and knows exactly what happened here. That can be related to the process now with 115 charges, maybe he knows information about that? Or maybe he had something like, I don't know?
"Hopefully, this question has been asked, and he can answer exactly what he means."
Arteta is still hugely respectful of his former mentor.
"I love him, I respect him, and I admire him. I admire his team and everything that he does," added Arteta.
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