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

Millwall will be aiming to clinch their first home points of the Championship season when they play host to Watford on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Hornets will make the short trip to the Den with hopes of claiming their maiden away victory of the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

Millwall will enter Monday's fixture in 16th position after winning two, drawing one and losing two of their five league games this season.

The Lions have experienced a drop-off in form since they started the campaign with four victories in five competitive games, having failed to win any of their previous three matches.

They followed a 2-0 home defeat against Wrexham with a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic, before they lost on penalties in Tuesday's EFL Cup third-round clash with Crystal Palace.

Ryan Leonard's 91st-minute equaliser forced a shootout at Selhurst Park, only for their EFL Cup journey to be ended by two saved spot kicks.

The Lions will now turn their focus back to Championship action, knowing that they are at risk of starting the season with three consecutive home league defeats for the first time since 2015-16.

Millwall can at least take confidence from the fact that they have won four of their last six matches against Watford (D1, L1), including a 2-1 victory in their most recent encounter at Vicarage Road in March.

Watford are two points worse off than their hosts after winning one, drawing two and losing two of their opening five league matches.

After losing his first Championship game against Charlton, Watford boss Paulo Pezzolano saw his side put together a three-game unbeaten run in the Championship, recording a narrow 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers before drawing with Swansea City and Watford.

However, they were unable to extend that run in their most recent outing against a Blackburn Rovers side managed by their former boss Valerien Ismael.

Ryoya Morishita's 47th-minute effort proved enough to condemn Watford to a narrow 1-0 loss at Vicarage Road, representing their first home league defeat of the season.

They are now set to head on their travels as one of six teams without an away victory in the Championship this season, although they can draw inspiration from the 3-2 victory that they recorded in last season's trip to The Den.

As a result, they have the opportunity to record back-to-back away victories over Millwall for the first time since they claimed 6-1 and 2-0 victories in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

Millwall Championship form:

W L W L D

Millwall form (all competitions):

L W W L D L

Watford Championship form:

L W D D L

Watford form (all competitions):

L L W D D L

Team News

Millwall are having to cope with a lengthy injury list that includes Lukas Jensen, Danny McNamara, Alfie Doughty, Casper De Norre, Billy Mitchell and Femi Azeez.

The Lions are also at risk of being without Will Smallbone, Zak Lovelace, Daniel Kelly and Macaulay Langstaff.

Neil hopes to have Massimo Luongo and Luke Cundle available after the duo sat out the EFL Cup clash with Palace due to knocks.

As for Watford, they are unable to call upon Giorgi Chakvetadze, ⁠Jack Grieves and Caleb Wiley, while Jeremy Ngakia is a doubt due to a groin issue.

Watford have allowed Othmane Maamma to join up with the Morocco squad for the Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

Pierre Dwomoh and Nampalys Mendy are closing in on a return to fitness, although it remains to be seen whether they will be ready for Monday’s contest.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Benda; Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Bryan; Neghli, Luongo, Cundle, Emakhu; Ivanovic, Coburn

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Keben, Pollock, Petris; Alleyne, Sissoko, Louza, Kayembe, Baah; Irankunda, Kjerrumgaard

We say: Millwall 1-1 Watford

Millwall have lost just one of their five opening league matches, but having gone three competitive matches without a victory, we think that they could play out a cagey contest against a team that have also failed to win any of their last three games, which is why we believe that the two sides may have to settle for a point apiece.

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