Preview: Millwall vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Millwall square off against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon having started the new Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers.

While Rovers posted an impressive 2-1 win over Swansea City, the midweek exit to Morecambe in the EFL Cup has halted any momentum generated from their opening-day success.

Match preview

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On the back of a year of consolidation, Millwall supporters will be expecting much more this season as the Lions look to earn a playoff spot.

Gary Rowett's squad are not necessarily fancied to achieve that feat, but positives will have been taken from earning a share of the spoils against QPR.

Jed Wallace, Millwall's star man of the last campaign, netted an early goal, while Daniel Ballard fitted in seamlessly in a three-man backline.

There is more to come from a club which has strengthened in all areas of the pitch, but Rowett will be confident of collecting all three points against their next opponents.

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Having made no additions over the summer and the club selling Adam Armstrong to Southampton, manager Tony Mowbray would have been pleasantly surprised with how Blackburn defeated last season's playoff runners-up Swansea.

However, the jubilation and relief which followed that success was replaced with negativity among the fanbase when Rovers lost 2-1 to Morecambe.

Mowbray only made three alterations to the team which performed so impressively against Swansea, leaving the long-serving boss with much to ponder.

On a positive note, the front three of Sam Gallagher, Ben Brereton Diaz and Tyrhys Dolan have all gotten on the scoresheet over the first two games.

Blackburn have lost just one of their last nine outings against Millwall, a record stretching back to March 2014.

Team News

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Rowett may see little reason to make any alterations to the Millwall side which started against QPR.

Tom Bradshaw is a potential alternative to Benik Afobe in attack, but the rest of the side should stay the same.

Blackburn boss Mowbray will recall Thomas Kaminski, Daniel Ayala and Gallagher after they dropped down to the substitutes' bench in midweek.

That will allow Rovers to revert back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, rather than using three at the back like against Morecambe.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Bialkowski; Ballard, Hutchinson, Wallace; McNamara, Evans, Kieftenbeld, Saville, Malone; Wallace, Afobe

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Nyambe, Lenihan, Ayala, Pickering; Travis, Rothwell; Gallagher, Buckley, Brereton Diaz; Dolan

We say: Millwall 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Having gotten three points on the board last week, Blackburn will feel like they can play with a certain level of freedom. However, with Rovers still looking for a replacement for Armstrong, we fancy Millwall to edge this contest by the odd goal in three.