Millwall

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Millwall will seek to return to winning ways as they welcome play-off chasing Birmingham on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

After taking 10 points from their previous four games, Alex Neil's side went down 3-1 at home to Portsmouth on Saturday, their first defeat in six at The Den, and lie third, six points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

Blues are seven points back in seventh, two points behind Wrexham in the final play-off spot, after making it eight Championship games unbeaten, taking 18 points from that run, with a 2-1 win at Norwich on Saturday.

• Millwall have won three of their past four home league games against Birmingham (L1), as many as in their previous 11 against them (D4 L4).

• Following their 4-0 win in the reverse fixture, Birmingham are looking to complete the league double over Millwall for the first time since 2013/14.

• Millwall have won just four of their past 17 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (D4 L9).

• Birmingham have won just one of their past five midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) league games (D2 L2), having won 10 of the 12 prior (D1 L1).

• Birmingham's Jay Stansfield has been involved in three goals in his three league games against Millwall (2 goals, 1 assist), though all of these have come in home games.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was down to earth with a bump for the Lions on Saturday.

Following the recent good form that has put Millwall within dreaming distance of the top flight, a determined and energetic Pompey side took all three points away from SE16.

Should you ever tinker with a winning side?

Millwall boss Alex Neil opted to make three changes, bringing in Anthony Patterson in goal and starting Tommy Watson on the left. Up front, Mihailo Ivanovic replaced the unwell Josh Coburn.

In truth, the whole Millwall XI were well under par and the game rightfully went Portsmouth's way.

To paraphrase one of the post-match talking points made by Neil, it's important not to overreact to wins - or, in this case, to defeats.

Thankfully other results went reasonably favourably for the Lions, who have the chance to set matters right this coming Wednesday at home to Birmingham City, before a tricky looking trip to Deepdale next Saturday.

With 13 games now standing between Millwall and a shot at the big time via the play-offs, keeping our nerve will be vital.

Myself, my teeth are starting to chatter…

Find more from Nick Hart on Achtung! Millwall., external

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Millwall boss Alex Neil said the shock 3-1 home defeat against Portsmouth was down to failing to do the basics.

"I don't think we deserved anything from the game," Neil said.

"People will think when I say how we defended that I'm talking about the back four, but I'm talking about the whole team.

"This is a collective thing in that the first goal from our point of view was really disappointing and the second goal was equally as disappointing.

"I said to the lads after the game that we're built as a team on doing the basics really well and I didn't think we did the basics well enough.

"When the ball did go forward, it didn't stick enough for us when we got it there and I didn't think we won enough duels.

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Millwall will aim to keep in touch with the Championship's automatic promotion spots when they welcome a Portsmouth side looking to pull further away from the relegation zone on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

The Lions are five points behind second-placed Middlesbrough and eight points clear of seventh following a run of six wins from their past nine games (D2 L1).

Pompey picked up just their third away win of the season at Charlton on Tuesday night to move four points clear of the bottom three with a game in hand on the sides around them.

• Portsmouth won 3-1 against Millwall earlier this season (November 2025). They last won home and away against the Lions in a league campaign in 2002-03 under Harry Redknapp.

• Millwall have only lost two of their past 12 home league games against Portsmouth (W4 D6), and have won the most recent two, including a 2-1 win in this fixture last season (April 2025).

• Millwall have lost just one of their past 10 league games (W6 D3), going down 2-1 to league leaders Coventry City in January.

• Portsmouth have won two of their past four away league games (D1 L1), more than they did across their first 11 league games on the road this season (W1 D4 L6).

• After losing three of their first four home games in the Championship this season (W1), Millwall have lost just once across their past 12 league matches at The Den (W8 D3), being unbeaten in the past five (W3 D2).

Image source, EFL

Puma's Rainbow ball will return to the English Football League as part of an on-going campaign against discrimination and homophobia.

The special edition rainbow ball was introduced in 2024 to mark LGBTQ+ History Month and will be used at every EFL game from 20 February until 1 March.

Manufacturers Puma will make a donation to Football v Homophobia for every goal scored with their rainbow ball across the Championship, League One and League Two.

The donations will help support education against homophobia and promote inclusion across the season.

The EFL have released a video, external to coincide with the campaign which features a Preston North End fan who was charged with a hate crime following homophobic chanting during an FA Cup fixture against Chelsea.

The rainbow ball will also feature in EFL partner EA Sports' FC 26 video game.

"The rainbow ball is a powerful symbol of the values we uphold across the EFL all season long," EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch said.

"It not only reflects our longstanding commitment to ensuring the League is representative of all its diverse communities, but also reminds us that we all have a role to play in creating an environment in which everyone feels they truly belong."

Millwall manager Alex Neil believes his side made their 2-1 win at Championship bottom side Sheffield Wednesday more difficult than it needed to be.

Jamal Lowe tapped in for the Owls after Charlie McNeill's long-range effort was spilled just after the hour mark to give the hosts a surprise lead.

An own goal from Cole McGhee levelled things up at Hillsborough while Millwall substitute Macaulay Langstaff converted Femi Azeez's low cross just two minutes later to complete a quickfire turnaround.

"I think I would sum it up as job done," said Neil to BBC Radio London after the game.

"I thought Sheffield Wednesday made it difficult for us. I thought we made it difficult for ourselves at times.

"Coming here there's a lot of expectation that you're just going to turn up. The simple fact is, apart from the last game when they played a back four, a lot of the games have been really tight.

"It's not been plain sailing or easy for any team coming here and I didn't expect it to be any different for us, and it was exactly what I expected."

Image source, EFL

Championship leaders Middlesbrough are celebrating winning both the manager and player of the month awards for January.

Boss Kim Hellberg led Boro to five wins from their six league games last month, with them scoring 14 goals as they chased down the leaders Coventry City before overtaking them at the top of the table last weekend.

Midfielder Alan Browne won the player award, having also filled in at wing-back and scored three goals.

Philippe Clement of Norwich, Wrexham's Phil Parkinson and Derby head coach John Eustace were also nominated for the manager accolade.

Wrexham striker Sam Smith and defenders Charlie Hughes (Hull City) and Caleb Taylor (Millwall) missed out of the player award.

Middlesbrough visit second-placed Coventry in the Championship on Monday night (20:00 GMT).

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Alan Browne, Charlie Hughes, Sam Smith and Caleb Taylor are the nominees for January's Championship player of the month award.

Browne has come back into favour under Kim Hellberg at Middlesbrough and has been deployed at right wing-back as well as in central midfield.

The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international helped Boro to five wins in January, scoring in the 4-0 home wins over Southampton and Preston and scoring one and assisting the other in a 2-1 win at Stoke.

Hughes was part of a Hull City side that enjoyed a fine month, with four wins in five matches and just three goals conceded.

The 22-year-old centre-back also headed what turned out to be the winner in a 2-1 victory at Southampton, his first goal of the campaign.

Smith took his chance at Wrexham, replacing the injured Kieffer Moore, with the 27-year-old forward scoring in all four of his starts in January to help the Red Dragons to 13 points from six games to move into the play-off places.

Taylor impressed at the back for Millwall, who claimed 11 points from their six games with Taylor helping ensure three clean sheets and also weighing-in with goals in wins against Swansea and Charlton and two assists too.

The winner will be announced on Friday, 13 February.

Image source, Opta

Millwall will look to strengthen their Championship play-off hopes when they visit bottom club Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

The Lions are fifth and hold a six-point advantage over Preston in seventh - their best league position after 31 games of a second tier season since the 2022-23 campaign when they were sixth at this stage.

The Owls could be relegated against arch-rivals Sheffield United next weekend if they lose to Millwall and the Blades - and one of Leicester or Blackburn pick up another point in that time.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their past 10 league games against Millwall (D4 L5), a 2-0 away win in February 2024.

• Following their 1-0 win in November, Millwall are looking to complete the league double over Sheffield Wednesday for the first time since 2002-03.

• Sheffield Wednesday have failed to score in their past nine league games, losing each of the past eight. No team in English Football League history has ever lost nine in a row without scoring before.

• Millwall have lost just one of their previous nine league games (W5 D3), with no Championship side suffering fewer defeats since Christmas than the Lions.

• Sheffield Wednesday have failed to score in their past nine league games – only one team in the history of the second tier has failed to score in more consecutively in a single campaign, with Coventry going 11 between October and December 1919.

Millwall midfielder Massimo Luongo says they are not getting ahead of themselves in the Championship play-off race - and even celebrated hitting the 50-point mark.

The Lions are fifth in the table with a six-point advantage over Preston in seventh and trail second-placed Coventry by five points.

"It is [going well] but there is a little joke going around, we celebrate 50 points," Luongo told BBC's Football Daily 72+ podcast.

"We are very much a team that celebrates 50 points. Even though we're in the play-offs, we're like 'oh we're safe now'.

"We're doing little milestones at the moment and we're not really looking at the table. The senior figures aren't because every time someone talks about it, everyone is like 'relax'.

"We've got tough games leading up to Ipswich [on 21 March] that will create a mentality for the run-in.

"And when the run-in comes, all right, then we look at the table and we look who is where."

Ex-Crystal Palace, Watford and Reading winger Jobi McAnuff said Millwall are "pretty much there" in contention for a top-six finish.

"You've got a nice little cushion now, it's six points and that's just to sixth," he said.

"But I would be looking at 'what do we need to make sure we are in the play-offs?'.

"You look traditionally, it's 70 [points], 72 maybe. You've already got 53 points, so it's really interesting to hear from inside the camp on what that mentality is.

"Yes, stay up, 50 points, but that is the bare minimum Millwall should be doing.

"It's now about how do we make sure that we do continue what has been a fantastic season."

Luongo made nine appearances for Alex Neil's side before picking up a knee injury in the 2-1 win at QPR which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

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Millwall midfielder Camiel Neghli says he is continuing to grow in confidence as the Lions push for promotion to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old Dutch-born Algerian has been a mainstay in Alex Neil's team throughout the campaign, appearing in every league game so far, and has been utilised in several positions across the midfield.

Neghli played another 90 minutes in the excellent 2-0 win at top-six rivals Wrexham on Saturday, condemning the Red Dragons to just a fourth home defeat of the season at Stok Cae Ras.

"Sometimes, of course, you want to make [an] impact directly but sometimes it's hard or you need to find confidence," Neghli, who joined the Lions from Sparta Rotterdam just over a year ago, told BBC Radio London.

"The league is so different, first time abroad, all those things. But I feel like I've got confidence now, got used to the competition.

"I feel like I'm growing in the team, so I'm really happy with that."

Millwall have lost just one of their past nine games (W5 D3) and Neghli has played on the left, right and in the centre of midfield during that run alone.

"I prefer to play number 10, the gaffer knows it, but I don't really mind to play anywhere," added Neghli, who has scored three goals and provided two assists in the league.

"I don't mind to play where I play now on the left, on the right, and sometimes in the eight even.

"I think I can play all the positions but I think my strong position is number 10 - but still I can do the job everywhere."

Millwall are fifth in the Championship, six points clear of Preston in seventh and six points behind second-placed Coventry before their trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

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Millwall manager Alex Neil says his side must continue to keep the back door locked if they are to remain realistic promotion contenders.

The Lions boss was full of praise for his team's defensive efforts after they became the first side to stop Wrexham scoring at home this season in Saturday's 2-0 win.

And Neil has challenged his fifth-placed side to keep things tight from now until May if they are to stay in the hunt.

"Obviously goals are vitally important for teams that do get promoted but [you have to] also make sure that you don't lose the game. We are solid," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"Our lads put their bodies on the line, they head the ball and are aggressive which is no less than I would expect.

"Defending our box I think we take a real pride in that, trying to get clean sheets. It was really important that we came [to Wrexham] and didn't lose and we were always going to get chances to win it."

Millwall, who have 12 clean sheets from 31 games this season, have conceded just one goal in their last three outings

The south London side will look to build on that form with back-to-back wins for the first time since early November at relegation certainties Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.

But Neil says they will be taking nothing for granted against the Owls despite their perilous league position.

"I don't like [games like Sheffield Wednesday] in that it brings a bit of casualness at times. Hopefully not internally but I don't want it external either," said the Lions boss.

"We need to go there and attack this game and try and win it. I don't want us thinking we will walk up and score three by half time - that's not how football works."

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Millwall head coach Alex Neil says fending off interest in attacker Femi Azeez from Ipswich Town shows the strength of their position in the race for promotion to the Premier League.

The Tractor Boys identified the 24-year-old as a key target in the January transfer window but were not able to lure him from The Den.

"I think what [message] it sends to people is the fact that we're in a really good spot," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"We don't need to sell any of our players. We're one point behind Ipswich who have come and coveted our player and wanted to talk to him.

"And the fact that it's going to be a squad game, we need to make sure that we've got strength and depth in all areas and we're not light in specific parts of our team.

"So I think it shows everybody that as a club we're in a strong position."

Neil praised James Berylson for being a "great owner" who "wants us to do well" and is fully focused on the Lions striving for top-flight football for the first time since 1990.

"He wants us to fight and be at the top end of the division, but equally there's a business behind that as well," Neil said.

"There's times where the business becomes more prominent and important, when we're needing to sell and maybe generate some cash.

"There's times where the football team is trying to achieve and trying to retain our best players is more prominent.

"And we're certainly at this moment in time focused on purely what we can achieve this year."

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Millwall boss Alex Neil believes new signings Barry Bannan and Tommy Watson can help give his side the edge as the scrap for Championship play-off places intensifies.

The Lions moved to bring in England Under-21s forward Watson on loan from Brighton until the end of the season, just days after securing veteran midfield playmaker Bannan on a permanent deal.

"As a club we're in a strong position," Neil told BBC Radio London. "Probably the one element we needed to add was a little bit more creativity across the squad.

"So in tight moments we've got a player who can maybe dance past somebody and put one in the far corner, a player who can pick a pass out or produce a moment of quality from a dead ball.

"The more of those players we've got available to us, the higher the likelihood those tight games will end in our favour. The lads we've brought in have been brought in specifically to add in those areas."

The fifth-placed Lions, who also signed Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson on loan before the transfer deadline, travel to Wrexham - one place and three points below them - on Saturday (15:01 GMT).

"I think we go into the next 16 games in a really good spot," Neil added. "We're focused purely on what we can achieve this year."

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Two of the Championship's form teams meet in a huge play-off showdown when Wrexham host Millwall on Saturday (15:01 GMT).

The Red Dragons have roared up to sixth in the table off the back of six wins in eight games since Christmas, however the four points they have dropped came at home to Norwich and Leicester in their past two games at the Stok Cae Ras.

The Lions are fifth, three points ahead of Wrexham, with an inferior goal difference, but have won just one of their past five on the road, earning five points and scoring just four goals.

• Wrexham are hosting Millwall in a league match for the first time since a 1-1 draw in April 2001, a result that secured the Lions' promotion to the second tier.

• Millwall have won just two of their past 16 league games against Wrexham (D9 L5), losing this season's reverse fixture 2-0 in August.

• Wrexham have won six of their past eight league games (D1 L1), with no Championship side picking up more wins (6) or more points (19) since Christmas than the Red Dragons.

• Millwall have lost just one of their past eight league games (W4 D3), going down 2-1 at league leaders Coventry last month.

• Wrexham have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Championship this season (20), though they also rank third for most points won from losing positions (15).