Preview:Millwall vs Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming for their third successive Championship victory, Millwall play host to Stoke City at The Den on Tuesday night.

The Lions edged out Queens Park Rangers with an impressive 2-1 win on Saturday, while the Potters, taking on their former manager Alex Neil, claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Wrexham.

Match preview

Moving into the Championship playoff positions after their win last time out, Neil's men have now lost just once in their last six league matches.

Handing QPR boss Julien Stephan his first home defeat, Millwall produced a disciplined and energetic performance to cause an upset in West London.

Goals from Femi Azeez and Mihailo Ivanovic gave the Lions a two-goal advantage before Rumarn Burrell's late strike set up a tense finale, but the visitors held firm to secure their fifth league win of the campaign.

As a result, Millwall sit in the top six with 17 points, within touching distance of the automatic promotion places.

Having narrowly missed out on a playoff spot last season, Neil's side will be hoping their bright start can lay the foundation for a serious push for Premier League football come May.

Stoke, meanwhile, continue to show signs of progress under Mark Robins.

The Potters' narrow victory over Wrexham at the bet365 Stadium, sealed by Sorba Thomas's first-half strike, lifted them to 18 points from their opening ten Championship fixtures, one more than their hosts.

Now three points off the automatic promotion positions, a sixth league win on Tuesday could move Robins's side closer to second-placed Middlesbrough.

While Stoke have looked a more cohesive and confident unit this season, their attacking output remains an area for improvement, having scored only twice across four September league fixtures.

Their away form, however, has been solid, with eight points collected from five Championship trips so far.

However, history is not on their side, as the Potters have failed to defeat Millwall in any of their last six meetings across all competitions.

Millwall Championship form:

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Millwall form (all competitions):

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Stoke City Championship form:

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Stoke City form (all competitions):

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Team News

Millwall did not emerge from their win at Loftus Road unscathed, as Massimo Luongo was forced off after 15 minutes with an injury and is unlikely to feature on Tuesday.

An Achilles issue kept Lukas Jensen out of the squad at the weekend, with Max Crocombe making his first league start of the season, and he is expected to retain his place between the posts.

Danny McNamara and Daniel Kelly have returned to training and could be in contention for selection.

Ivanovic marked his return to the starting XI with a goal and is likely to lead the line once more.

For Stoke, Bosun Lawal remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the last three matches.

Bae Jun-Ho, released early from international duty, was unavailable for the Wrexham clash and is expected to miss out again.

Lewis Baker returned to the starting lineup last time out after three games out, but Robins may opt to rest him given the quick turnaround.

Should Baker not be risked, Jamie Donley could start in the number ten role behind striker Divin Mubama.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Sturge; De Norre, Mitchell; Azeez, Smallbone, Ballo; Ivanovic

Stoke City possible starting lineup:

Johansson; Tchamadeu, Phillips, Wilmot, Cresswell; Rigo, Seko; Manhoef, Donley, Thomas; Mubama

We say: Millwall 1-1 Stoke City

Both sides have enjoyed strong starts to the 2025-26 Championship campaign and will see this as a key opportunity to strengthen their promotion credentials.

Stoke's impressive away record will face a stern examination against a Millwall side that is difficult to beat at The Den, and with little to choose between the two, a closely contested draw appears the most likely outcome.

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