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

A resurgent Southampton will be looking to claim a fifth consecutive victory when they travel to The Den for Saturday's Championship meeting with Millwall.

Meanwhile, the Lions are aiming to make it back-to-back victories after getting the better of Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.

Match preview

Millwall may be operating in the top six, but their promotion push recently lost some momentum with a four-game winless run.

However, Alex Neil's side managed to get back on track with a narrow 1-0 victory over basement side Sheffield Wednesday in Tuesday's home encounter.

Femi Azeez scored within 10 minutes of his arrival on the pitch to end Millwall's month-long wait for a win, moving them up to fourth spot and leaving them two points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

The result also saw Millwall record their fifth clean sheet in nine home league matches - more than any other team in the division.

Having won four of their last five outings at The Den, the Lions will be targeting another strong display in Saturday's tricky meeting with an in-form Southampton side.

Millwall picked up a 2-1 away victory in their most recent competitive meeting with the Saints in February 2024, although they have not beaten them at The Den since running out 3-0 winners back in September 1977.

Southampton have enjoyed a significant upturn in fortunes since interim boss Tonda Eckert took over the reins following Will Still's sacking at the start of the month.

Eckert has guided the Saints to four consecutive victories, including an emphatic 5-1 away success against Charlton Athletic in the first game back from the international break.

The Saints went on to record another commanding victory in midweek, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Finn Azaz finding the net before Leicester City's Olabade Aluko was given his marching orders just after the half-hour mark.

Harwood-Bellis went on to find the net again to score his first brace in senior football and wrap up a 3-0 home victory, moving Southampton up to 13th spot and to within three points of the playoffs.

Eckert remains in interim charge for Saturday's away trip, but Saints winger Leo Scienza was clear when asked by Sky Sports whether the 32-year-old should be given the job on a full-time basis, saying: "We are happy with him. He's doing a great job, so why not?

Southampton's primary focus will be to continue their winning run this weekend, and they should certainly fancy their chances of claiming all three points after beating Millwall in their last three visits to The Den, including a 1-0 win in their most recent away encounter in November 2023.

Millwall Championship form:

W D L D L W

Southampton Championship form:

L L W W W W

Team News

Millwall midfielder Derek Mazou-Sacko is expected to miss around eight weeks after he sustained a knee injury in last weekend's defeat to Portsmouth.

The home side's injury list also features Lukas Jensen, Ryan Leonard, Massimo Luongo, Billy Mitchell, Will Smallbone and Josh Coburn, while Joe Bryan is set to serve the second game of a three-match ban.

There is a possibility that Zak Sturge could come back into the fold after missing Wednesday's win due to a concussion.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Elias Jelert, Shea Charles and Ross Stewart due to injury.

Ryan Fraser will be hoping to recover from illness in time for the weekend, but Oriol Romeu is unlikely to make the game as he continues to work on his fitness due to his lack of match practice.

Midfielder Flynn Downes will serve a one-match ban after collecting his fifth yellow card of the Championship season.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Doughty; De Norre, Bundle; Azeez, Neghli, Emakhu; Ivanovic

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Quarshie; Fellows, Jander, Aribo, Manning; Azaz, Scienza; Armstrong

We say: Millwall 1-2 Southampton

Southampton will carry significant momentum into the weekend after winning four consecutive matches, and while the Lions have been strong at home of late, the Saints tend to fare well at The Den, and we think that they will do enough to record a fifth successive victory.

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