Millwall

Image source, Opta

It's a big game in the Championship play-off race as sixth-placed Watford and fifth-placed Millwall meet at Vicarage Road on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Depending on results elsewhere, a place in the top-four is at stake for the winners, with the Lions holding a two-point advantage over the in-form Hornets before kick-off.

Javi Gracia's side have won four straight games and taken 17 points from their past seven games while Alex Neil's men are unbeaten in four, claiming eight points and conceding only two goals.

• Watford have lost five of their past seven league games against Millwall (W1 D1), losing 1-0 away at the Den earlier this season.

• Following a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road last season, Millwall are looking for consecutive away league wins at Watford for the first time since a run of four between October 1995 and January 2002.

• No current side is on a longer Championship winning run than Watford, who've won their last four games. The Hornets are looking to win five in a row for the first time since a run of six in March/April 2021.

• Since Alex Neil's first Championship game in charge of Millwall, only Coventry City (93) have picked up more points than the Lions (80). Neil's next game will be his 50th league game in charge – he has 23 wins so far, with only Mark McGhee (29) and the joint manager duo Keith Stevens and Alan McLeary (26) having won more in their first 50 games.

• Watford have scored 16 goals when they've been losing in the Championship this season, two more than any other team when they've been trailing. The Hornets have outshot their opponents 132 to 66 when losing (+66 differential), with only Middlesbrough having a better difference in 2025/26 (+94).

Millwall are keen on taking Sunderland and former England Under-21 goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, 25, on loan. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Steven Benda has returned to Fulham after spending the first half of the campaign at Millwall.

The 27-year-old joined the Championship side on a season-long loan deal in July and made 10 appearances.

Millwall, who are fifth in the league table, have recalled keeper George Evans from National League side Hartlepool United.

Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wrexham 3-3 (4-3 pens) Nottingham Forest

• Preston North End 0-1 Wigan

• Macclesfield Town 2-1 Crystal Palace

• Everton 1-1 (0-3 pens) Sunderland

• Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town

• Fulham 3-1 Middlesbrough

• Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City

• Newcastle 3-3 (7-6 pens) Bournemouth

• Stoke City 1-0 Coventry City

• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

• Bristol City 5-1 Watford

• Cambridge United 2-3 Birmingham City

• Charlton 1-5 Chelsea

There are 18 third-round ties in the FA Cup on Saturday - 16 involving Premier League and Championship teams, who all enter the competition at this stage - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Cheltenham v Leicester (12:15) - BBC Radio Leicester

• Everton v Sunderland (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Macclesfield v Crystal Palace (12:15) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Radio Manchester

• Wolves v Shrewsbury (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3 & BBC Radio WM

• Boreham Wood v Burton Albion

• Burnley v Millwall - BBC Radio London

• Doncaster v Southampton - BBC Radio Solent

• Fulham v Middlesbrough - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Blackpool - BBC Radio Suffolk

• Man City v Exeter City - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Newcastle v Bournemouth - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 & BBC Radio Newcastle

• Salford P-P Swindon

• Sheff Wed v Brentford

• Stoke v Coventry - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio CWR

• Bristol City v Watford (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Three Counties Radio

• Cambridge United v Birmingham (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Grimsby v Weston (17:45)

• Tottenham v Aston Villa (17:45) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

• Charlton v Chelsea (20:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

And find out how to follow the FA Cup across the BBC this weekend here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Middlesbrough" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Aston Villa", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Sheffield United are keen on signing Republic of Ireland and Southampton midfielder Will Smallbone, 25, who impressed on loan at Millwall before suffering an injury in October. (SportsBoom, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Hartlepool United have extended the loan of Millwall goalkeeper George Evans until February.

The 20-year-old has played 12 National League games for Pools this season and kept four clean sheets.

Millwall boss Alex Neil has said his side's 2-1 win over Swansea City is "really pleasing" after a last gasp goal sees them back into the play-off places.

Caleb Taylor scored for the Lions in the 92nd minute to seal the three points and lift them into fifth place on the Championship table.

"I thought we deserved it over the piece if you look at the clearest chances in the game," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"First half I thought we were excellent. Really pleased. We should have been two or three up – their keeper made two or three unbelievable saves.

"I didn't think we started the second half well. They got down the sides a few times and caused us a few issues and their goal was really disappointing.

"From there they were probably on top for five minutes. When the game got to about 70 minutes we wrestled back control. The game's in the balance and we are hoping we are get one more chance.

"There's nothing better than a late winner is there? Really pleasing."

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall manager Alex Neil was proud of his side's performance in their 0-0 draw at Southampton.

The Lions could have climbed back into the Championship play-off places with victory.

But Neil was happy with the display and believes his side had the better chances in the game.

"It was a great performance. We changed our shape again for a number of reasons," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"We were the better side and we had the better chances. We've drawn with Ipswich, beat Bristol City and come here."

Millwall are missing a number of key players, and while Neil admits they lacked potency, he couldn't fault them tactically.

"For what we've got available, I thought it was terrific.

"We had opportunities, we didn't have the cutting edge to finish them off. Our game plan was to turn the ball over and create on the counter; the balance was excellent. I couldn't be more pleased with the lads."

Southampton will look to do what visitors Millwall did last time out and end a four match winless run when they welcome the Lions to St Mary's on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

Millwall picked up a big win over Bristol City on Monday to put themselves back in the top six but only a victory will guarantee they stay there by the time the first day of the new year is done and dusted.

• Southampton won seven consecutive home league games against Millwall between 1948 and 1975 but have since won just two of eight meetings with the Lions on home turf (D2 L4), most recently losing 2-1 in February 2024.

• Millwall have won their last two league games against Southampton and could complete a league double over the Lions for the first time the 1977-78 campaign in the second tier.

• Southampton have only lost one of their last six league games played on New Year's Day (W3 D2), a 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea in the 2013-14 Premier League campaign.

• Millwall have won four of their last five league games on New Year's Day but were beaten 1-0 by Oxford United last year – the Lions have never started back-to-back calendar years with defeat on January 1st in the Football League.

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong has scored (1) or assisted (2) in each of his three Championship appearances on New Year's Day, most recently netting in a 1-1 draw with Norwich City in 2024.

Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 2-1 win over Bristol City:

"The game really shifted in our favour when we brought the likes of [Thierno] Ballo on.

"It was nice to see Macca [Macaulay Langstaff] get the winning goal. Camiel Neghli, the amount of ground that he covered in the game was incredible. [There were] A lot of good performances in there.

"What I can say for the players is they don't give up. They've got a lot about them.

"In spells in the second half we were struggling to get out, the fans were starting to get a little bit anxious around us. They wrestled back control of the game and we were on the front foot and managed to go and get the winner.

"We never give up, we keep going to the last minute and if you do that, you give yourselves a chance."