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

In search of back-to-back wins with a chance to break into the top four of the Championship table, Millwall will welcome Sheffield United to The Den on Saturday.

The hosts now trail third-placed Middlesbrough by a single point, while their visitors sit 17th after a victory of their own last time out.

Match preview

Millwall return to Championship action on Saturday in search of a second straight win to further boost their Championship promotion hopes.

In their first full season under the management of Alex Neil, the London outfit have enjoyed a strong campaign thus far, currently sitting fifth having earned 49 points from their opening 29 games.

The Lions would strengthen their top-six standing with a five-game unbeaten streak in the league after Christmas, earning three victories and two creditable draws, only to suffer a setback in a 2-1 away loss to league leaders Coventry City.

Rivals Charlton Athletic then visited The Den last weekend, and Neil's men would bounce back to winning ways in style, dishing out a 4-0 derby beating, having led through a Kayne Ramsay own goal at the interval before Caleb Taylor, Luke Cundle and Aidomo Emakhu got on the scoresheet late on.

Now trailing third-placed Ipswich Town by just a single point and second-placed Middlesbrough by six with 17 games remaining, Millwall head into the weekend aiming to narrow their gap to the top two further with another triumph.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to the capital aiming to continue a climb towards the right end of the table with back-to-back wins of their own.

After a dismal start to the campaign all but ruled out their hopes of challenging at the top of the Championship after last season's playoff-final loss, Sheffield United have improved their standing with one of the division's best runs of form in recent months.

Previously stuck in the bottom three, the Blades have now earned 25 points from their last 13 games to climb to 17th spot on 35 points, six above the drop zone and nine behind the top six.

Chris Wilder's men saw their momentum halted in back-to-back losses to Charlton Athletic and Southampton in mid-January, but they bounced back at the weekend, hosting third-placed Ipswich Town and winning 3-1 having led 2-0 through Callum O'Hare and Andre Brooks before Patrick Bamford restored their two-goal cushion after the hour mark.

With confidence back in the group and a five-point gap to the top half, Sheffield United will hope to continue their climb up the Championship with what would be a major win on the road at the weekend.

Millwall Championship form:

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Millwall form (all competitions):

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Sheffield United Championship form:

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Sheffield United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Millwall may be unchanged from the weekend's 4-0 thrashing of Charlton Athletic, although Aidomo Emakhu and Luke Cundle did score their goals off the bench and will push to come in from the start.

Defender Joe Bryan and midfielders Massimo Luongo, Daniel Kelly, William Smallbone and Derek Mazou-Sacko will remain confined to the treatment room.

Barry Bannan will hope to earn a debut in midfield, but Casper De Norre and Billy Mitchell should continue their partnership in the engine room to start.

Sheffield United have three players suspended, with Djibril Soumare and former Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga on the final game of three-match bans, while key attacker Patrick Bamford was sent off in last week's win over Ipswich.

With centre-back Tyler Bindon also having missed out through illness last time out, Mark McGuinness and veteran Ben Mee should again partner up at the back, while Tom Davies and Sydie Peck could continue in the engine room in Jairo Riedewald's absence.

Tom Cannon and Tyrese Campbell will compete to take Bamford's spot up front ahead of Andre Brooks, Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare, who netted his eighth league goal of the season last time out.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Doughty; Mitchell, De Norre; Azeez, Neghli, Langstaff; Ivanovic

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, McGuinness, Mee, McCallum; Peck, Davies; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer; Cannon

We say: Millwall 2-1 Sheffield United

Sheffield United have certainly shown signs of improvement in recent months, but they face a tough trip to a Millwall side full of confidence who have been consistently strong all season.

With absences piling up in key areas, we see the Blades falling just short and Neil's men ramping up the pressure on the top two.

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