Preview: Millwall vs Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Promotion-chasing Millwall will be targeting a third consecutive victory when they play host to Portsmouth in Saturday's Championship encounter.

Meanwhile, the relegation-threatened visitors will be looking to win in London for the second time in five days after beating Charlton Athletic in midweek.

Match preview

Millwall are sitting in third spot and dreaming of playing top-flight football for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign, having won 16, drawn eight and lost eight of their 32 league matches this season.

The promotion-chasing Lions have built a four-game unbeaten run since losing 2-1 to leaders Coventry City in January (W3, D1).

After thrashing Charlton Athletic 4-0, the Lions went on to play out a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at The Den, before they recorded back-to-back wins on their travels. 

A 2-0 success against Wrexham was followed by a 2-1 win over basement side Sheffield Wednesday, courtesy of Macaulay Langstaff's 74th-minute winner. 

Sitting five points adrift of the top two, Alex Neil's side will now return to the familiar surroundings of The Den, where they have won eight of their previous 12 matches (D3, L1).

The Lions can also take confidence from the fact they have won their last three home games against Portsmouth, including a 2-1 success in last season's meeting at The Den. 

© Imago / IMAGO / Pro Sports Images

Portsmouth will head into Saturday's fixture in a positive mood after they bounced back from consecutive defeats with a 3-1 victory over Charlton Athletic in midweek.

Terry Devlin netted either side of a Colby Bishop penalty to fire Portsmouth to their third Championship away win of the season. 

The precious victory moved John Mousinho's side up to 19th spot in the table, giving them a four-point buffer to the drop zone while still boasting a game in hand over their relegation rivals.

After completing a league double over one team from South East London, Portsmouth now have the opportunity to achieve the same feat over another following their 3-1 success in November's reverse fixture against Millwall. 

If they are to claim the spoils, Pompey need to win at The Den for the first time since Liam Lawrence scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory in October 2010. 

The visitors may be wary that they have failed to win any of their eight away games in which they have conceded first (D2, L6), scoring just three times and shipping 18 goals across those eight matches. 

Millwall Championship form:

Portsmouth Championship form:

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Focus Images

Millwall are unable to call upon Joe Bryan, Daniel Kelly, Benicio Baker, Will Smallbone, Massimo Luongo and Lukas Jensen due to injury.

Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Tommy Watson is pushing to make his first start for the club after making substitute appearances in the last two games.

Langstaff is also hoping to earn a starting spot after scoring the winner in last Saturday's 2-1 success against Sheffield Wednesday. 

As for Portsmouth, they are dealing with an extensive list of injury absentees, including Conor Chaplin, Josh Murphy, Keshi Anderson, Florian Bianchini, Franco Umeh and Thomas Waddingham.

They are also without the services of Mark Kosznovszky, Conor Shaughnessy, Hayden Matthews, Josh Knight and Aji Alese. 

Harvey Blair could return from injury in time for Saturday's away trip, but Andre Dozzell remains sidelined with an injury he sustained in last Saturday's defeat to Sheffield United. 

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Doughty; Neghli, Mitchell; Azeez, Langstaff, Watson; Coburn

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Ogilvie, Swanson; Pack, Adams; Caballero, Swift, Alli; Bishop

We say: Millwall 2-1 Portsmouth

Portsmouth may have got the better of Charlton in midweek, but they will face a much tougher test in their latest trip to London. 

Millwall have won three of their last four home matches, and we think the promotion hopefuls will prove too strong for Pompey on Saturday. 

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