Preview: Millwall vs Newcastle United - prediction, team news, lineups

Newcastle United will look to continue their positive campaign with a win at The Den against hosts Millwall on Tuesday in the third round of the EFL Cup.

Millwall defeated Cambridge United 1-0 in late August to reach this stage of the competition, whereas the Toon advanced past West Bromwich Albion 3-2 in the second round.

Match preview

The hosts failed to create many meaningful opportunities in their clash with Cambridge, though their defensive resilience ensured that their ninth-minute goal was enough to progress.

Millwall reached the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup in the 1994-95 season, but they have since failed to advance beyond the third round, with the club losing on penalties to rivals Crystal Palace in the third round in 2025-26.

While coach Alex Neil oversaw an impressive 4-0 victory against Bolton Wanderers in the Championship on Saturday, that win was preceded by two losses in the second tier.

The Lions are seventh in the Championship with nine points from a possible 15, and they have scored 10 goals and conceded on eight occasions.

Millwall have played three matches at The Den this term, beating Bolton and Norwich City by an aggregate score of 7-0, but they also lost 3-0 to Wrexham on September 2.

Newcastle fans should be forgiven for being fearful ahead of 2026-27 considering they not only lost key players like Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, but also manager Eddie Howe.

Three games into the new Premier League season, and the Magpies are unbeaten with five points, and while the club were unfortunate to not beat Liverpool on the opening weekend, they emerged as 2-0 victors against Tottenham Hotspur on August 29.

New boss Matthias Jaissle helped guide his Toon side to a 2-2 stalemate with Bournemouth on Saturday, with his team coming back from a two-goal deficit, and the point left the club seventh in the table.

Tuesday's matchup will be the first meeting between Newcastle and Millwall since 1993, but while the Magpies won that encounter 2-1, they did lose two and draw one of their prior three clashes with their hosts.

Newcastle's triumph against Spurs ended a winless streak on the road of five games, a period in which the away side lost four games, conceded 13 goals and netted just four times.

Millwall EFL Cup form:

Millwall form (all competitions):

Newcastle United EFL Cup form:

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

Team News

Millwall will likely make changes from the XI that faced Bolton, with Danny Batth, Jake Cooper and Elkan Baggott possible inclusions at the back.

Jenson Metcalfe, Luke Cundle and Alfie Massey are candidates to play in a midfield three, while Lyndon Dykes could be trusted to lead the forward line.

As for Newcastle, they will be without defender Dan Burn, midfielder Joelinton and striker William Osula, though attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo joined before the closure of the transfer window from Lille.

Fernandez-Pardo is set be afforded his first start of the season for his new club, and he may be used in a frontline that also features Bazoumana Toure, Alfie Harrison and Yoane Wissa.

Aladji Bamba is an option for his team's midfield, and the 20-year-old could be partnered by Lewis Miley.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Batth, Cooper, Baggott; Osei-Tutu, Metcalfe, Massey, Cundle, Kelly; Lovelace, Dykes

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Jaouen; Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Hall; Bamba, Miley; Toure, Harrison, Fernandez-Pardo; Wissa