Millwall

Nikesh Rughani
BBC Final Score

Image source, Shutterstock

Milwall completed the ultimate smash and grab at Ashton Gate. The home side were far superior creating a couple of good chances in the first half, with Anis Mehmeti shooting just wide and Scott Twine having an effort cleared off the line.

After half time, Millwall's goal came against the run of play, a counter attack, leading to a double save from Femi Aziz, before Mihailo Ivanovic latched onto the deflection to score from close range.

Bristol City continued to create chances, with Mark Sykes, Rob Dickie and Emil Riis all coming close.

But Millwall held on, to record their third win in a row to keep fans dreaming of the Premier League.

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall manager Alex Neil admires his side's willingness to tough it out - as evidenced by the ill-tempered victory at Bristol City.

The Lions prevailed 1-0 to keep up their Championship promotion push in a hard-fought game marred by a post-match flare-up between the two benches.

"Today was a grinding performance where we needed to do the nasty bits of the game well and we would get opportunities and if we could take them we'd win and that's what we did," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"We're not trying to kid ourselves or anyone else that we popped Bristol off the pitch but we defended resolutely and we carried a threat second half and if we can do that more often than not we can win games.

"What you have to bear in mind is how many players we have missing. For the lads to come through this test, come here to Bristol City who are a good side, manage to get the win and keep a clean sheet…brilliant."

The victory came at a cost with Millwall's injury list lengthening with the addition of Belgian midfielder Casper de Norre who went off at half-time at Ashton Gate.

"We ended up with Alfie (Doughty), (Thierno) Ballo and Camiel Neghli as a midfield three which I don't think will ever be repeated again," Neil added.

Millwall are improving all aspects of the club at a "really quick pace" says head coach Alex Neil.

The Lions' nine wins and 31 points from their opening 18 Championship games is their best start to a league season for 17 years and has them in third place as they prepare for Saturday's game at Bristol City (15:00 GMT).

"A lot of the foundations were built last year, we finished the end of last season really strongly," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"We built up an expectation inwardly as well as outwardly in terms of what this team is potentially capable of."

Millwall did sell key defender Japhet Tanganga to Sheffield United in August but Neil says being able to recruit a significant number of new players has helped, along with improvements elsewhere around the club.

"We've signed quite a few players as well and when you're making signings there's an air of optimism because we're doing business and we look as if we're trying to improve," he added.

"The Den has had a revamp so in so many different aspects the club is trying to move forward and improve and upgrade lots of different areas of the club.

"That's nice to be part of - you don't want it to feel stagnant and if anything we've been moving at a really quick pace in terms of improving different aspects of the team."

Millwall will have defender Zak Sturge back available for their trip to the sixth-placed Robins after he missed the past two games because of concussion.

This is sixth against third in the Championship (15:00 GMT) with both sides looking to consolidate their place in the promotion race.

Bristol City have three of their past four home matches while Millwall head west with their last away win coming on October 18 at QPR.

• Bristol City have won three of their past four league games against Millwall (L1), more than they had in their previous 14 (W2 D5 L7).

• Millwall have won four of their past six away league games against Bristol City (L2) but did lose this exact fixture 4-3 last season.

• No side have kept more clean sheets in the Championship this season than Bristol City (7), though they have kept more away from home (4) than they have at Ashton Gate (3).

• Nine wins and 31 points from 18 games is Millwall's best start to a league season since 2008-09 in League One (11 wins, 36 points), while it is their best in the second tier since 2001-02 (9 wins, 31 points).

• Having been unbeaten in their first six away league games this season (W3 D3), Millwall have lost their past two on the road by an aggregate score of 7-1.

Millwall's success in the Championship this season is down to getting the basics right, according to former Middlesbrough and Stoke full-back Tommy Smith.

The Lions are one of the surprise packages of the season and are currently third in the table.

"Millwall do the basics ever so well, the fundamentals," Smith told the BBC's EFL podcast 72+.

"There are some teams that neglect that and it's really frustrating to see as an ex-player - those fundamentals and basics can get you to be a successful team."

Successive wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton means Alex Neil's side are only two points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, as the Lions prepare to visit Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

"They are very good at what they do, they're physical and direct and I think the league has gone full circle, it's a lot more physical and direct," said Smith.

"Two or three years ago it was all playing out from the back and being dominant in possession. I feel it's got to the point where, and I say this with respect because it's not an easy thing to do, if you're direct with quality you can be effective.

"People are labelling Arsenal as direct and physical but they do it with quality and purpose."

Despite their lofty position, Millwall have only scored 22 goals in their 18 league games and Smith thinks that is an area they will need to address to sustain a promotion challenge.

"They're doing great but the only thing that worries me is their lack of goals," he added. "They are sitting third in the league but with a -3 goal difference which would, for me, be a slight concern."

Image source, Shuttershock

Everyone at Millwall is pulling in the same direction, says defender Tristan Crama.

The Frenchman scored a 97th-minute winner against Southampton as their 3-2 victory on Saturday sent the Lions up to third place in the Championship.

"It's been great since I joined the club, everyone has been on the same page from the start," he told BBC Radio London.

"It's a lovely group and I just love coming here every morning to work."

Crama joined Millwall from Brentford in January with his strike against Southampton his second goal for the club.

"We've got so much belief, especially at home, even when it went 2-2 we were still one against one all over the pitch, we wanted the win," he added.

"It's good to be there (third) but the whole league is tight from second place to 15th or 16th. When you see where you are it is good, but we know there are still so many games left."

Millwall visit Bristol City on Saturday, 6 December (15:00 GMT).

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Neil paid tribute to his Millwall players after Tristan Crama's 97th-minute winner in their dramatic 3-2 victory over Southampton lifted them to third in the Championship.

Millwall recovered from 1-0 down and Neil felt the players and the fans will long remember this game because of the quality of the goals.

Neil told BBC Radio London: "I thought the game merited that type of finish.

"You've got Femi's [Azeez] goal, then Caleb's [Taylor] goal and you finish it that way, that's a game you'll always remember, especially against the quality of the opposition and how depleted we are with so many young lads on as well.

"You can see how much the group like each other. They're all friends, this isn't just their work and they go home, it matters to them, this club matters to them, the fans matter to them, winning matters to them. It's a great club to be a part of."

Image source, Opta

Resurgent Southampton could find themselves in the play-off places with a win at high-flying Millwall on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Following Wednesday's 1-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, which ended a four-game winless run, the Lions go into the weekend sat fourth and with a chance of climbing into the automatic promotion places with another victory.

After drubbing Leicester 3-0 on Tuesday, Saints have now won four straight under interim boss Tonda Eckert, scoring 13 goals and conceding only three, and have climbed to 13th, but depending on results elsewhere another win could see them jump into the top six.

• Millwall have won just one of their past nine league games against Southampton (D3 L5), though it was in their last meeting in February 2024 (2-1 at St Mary's).

• Southampton are unbeaten in their past six away league games against Millwall (W3 D3) since a 3-0 loss in September 1977.

• Having lost 3-1 at Portsmouth last weekend, Millwall could lose successive league games on a Saturday for the first time since last December, coming against Coventry and Middlesbrough.

• Southampton lead the Championship by way of points (12) and goals scored (13) since Tonda Eckert's first game in charge (5 November); they scored 13 goals in Will Still's 13 league games by comparison.

• All five of Finn Azaz's goal involvements for Southampton in the Championship this season have come in his past four appearances (4 goals, 1 assist), while he could score in four successive matches in the competition for the first time.

Alex Neil praised Millwall's attitude after his injury-hit side beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 thanks to Femi Azeez's goal to jump to fourth in the Championship.

The victory ends Millwall's run of four games without a win and Neil was delighted with his players' character.

He told BBC Radio London: "In the second half we created a lot of chances, they created one or two themselves, but over the piece I thought we deserved to win.

"These games are not easy - they're a tough team to play against and play with an element of freedom as they have nothing to lose, so we've then got to put a professional performance on and take the game away from them and eventually we did.

"We've won four out of five at home, we're fourth in the table with an injury list as long as my arm since the start of the season and it's just continued, so for the lads to be where they are, they deserve a huge amount of credit for that."

Millwall will look to end their four match winless streak as they host basement side Sheffield Wednesday in the midweek.

The Lions' past four league games have seen two draws and two losses to put them just outside the top six on goal difference.

On Wednesday (19:45 BST), the side may have the opportunity to return to the play-off spots and face an Owls side that have not claimed a win since September.

• Millwall have lost just one of their last nine league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W4 D4), keeping six clean sheets in that run.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost four of their last six away league games against Millwall, with the exceptions being a 0-0 draw in February 2019 and a 2-0 win in February 2024.

• Millwall lost three of their first four home league games this season (W1), scoring just once and conceding nine. The Lions are now unbeaten in their last four at home (W3 D1), scoring seven goals and conceding just once.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last 11 away league games (D6 L4), beating Portsmouth 2-0 in September. However, the Owls have earned more points away from home (6) than they have at Hillsborough so far this season.

• Sheffield Wednesday's Jamal Lowe has scored three goals in his last five league starts against Millwall, with all of three of these coming at the Den.

Image source, Rex Features

Millwall boss Alex Neil described his side's defeat at Portsmouth as "a real disappointment" on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions managed to get a goal back after going two down but were ultimately well beaten by their opponents who scored once more late on.

Despite the loss Millwall remain seventh in the Championship table level on points with Hull City above them.

"Today's a real disappointment but we've had to overcome a lot of challenges," Neil told the media after the game.

"The nature of the goals, particularly the second and the third for me, were extremely frustrating because I thought we should have done better.

"I think it's very dubious for the sending-off but Joe should not give them the opportunity to do that. I think the reaction of the players, the reaction of the fans, it doesn't surprise me that the referee's got out the red card.

"I know it sounds like excuses but I've been at this level a long time and when you are depleted in so many different areas and you're missing your captain, it's really difficult to win games at this level and that was a hard day for us today."

Millwall will hope to bounce back to winning ways on Wednesday when they host Sheffield Wednesday at the Den.

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

Portsmouth will seek an end to their six match winless streak as they welcome sixth placed Millwall on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Pompey currently find themselves in 20th on the Championship table, just four points ahead of Sheffield United in 22nd.

The Lions are having markedly better season but have not found all three points in any of their past three games and will be looking to restabilise in order to stay within the play-off spots.

• Portsmouth have lost their last four league matches against Millwall, with all four defeats coming via a one goal margin.

• Millwall are looking to win three consecutive away league games against Portsmouth for the first time, winning 1-0 on their last two visits in April 2012 and January 2025.

• Portsmouth have failed to score in each of their last two home league matches – they haven't gone three in a row without a goal at Fratton Park since March 2014 when they were a League Two side, failing to net against Cheltenham, Burton and York during that time.

• Since Alex Neil's first league game as Millwall manager on New Year's Day 2025, only Coventry (75) have won more points in the Championship than the Lions (62).

• Only Sheffield United (11) have scored fewer Championship goals this season than Portsmouth (12), with Pompey ranking second bottom for shot conversion (6.5%) ahead of only the Blades (5.9%).

Millwall boss Alex Neil hopes the return of some key players from injury will give his squad a timely boost.

The Lions are sixth in the Championship, four points out of the automatic promotion spots, ahead of Saturday's trip to Portsmouth (15:00 GMT), but collected only two points from three games as they limped into the international break as injuries took their toll.

"We've managed to work towards getting guys closer to being available," Neil told BBC Radio London.

Though the trip to Fratton Park is likely to come too soon for Femi Azeez and Steven Benda, Neil added: "Alfie Doughty and Danny McNamara are making good progress, they should be involved."

Neil has been forced into picking 27 different players in Millwall's opening 15 games and admitted: "Our biggest challenge this year is consistency in terms of personnel and style.

"Naturally when you have players missing it does affect how we try to play - every player's strength is different. It's more complex for us when we have players missing."

The trip to Portsmouth starts a run of 11 league games in 43 days and Neil added: "It's going to be a tough schedule, but it's the same for everybody.

"You want to try and avoid injuries and suspensions, you want everybody fit and available.

"Unfortunately we have more than a few long-term injuries - Massimo Luongo, Will Smallbone, Josh Coburn and Ryan Leonard - a whole list of guys that are not going to be able to help us."

Neil hailed the impact of 21-year-old Derek Mazou-Sacko who has started seven of the past 10 Championship games after arriving late in the transfer window from Ligue 2 side Rodez.

"He's shown us he can perform, we can rely on him and we can pick up points with him in the team" Neil said.

"Derek, Zak Sturge and Thierno Ballo in particular have really stepped up."

Click here to listen to the interview and for more Millwall content via BBC Sounds.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Goalscoring continues to be Millwall's main problem this season, as illustrated by Saturday's strange home draw with Preston North End, where the absence of our talisman Femi Azeez was keenly felt.

Despite a series of decent chances created by the Lions, it took comedy goalkeeping by the Lilywhites' Daniel Iversen to gift the best present that Mihailo Ivanovic will get this side of Christmas for Millwall's equaliser.

Lady Luck smiled on us too in the late stages, as North End went very close themselves.

Post-match, gaffer Alex Neil is quoted as calling for a more ruthless streak from the Lions - certainly with just 17 goals to our name so far in 2025-26 any hopes of a sustained top-six challenge look to be tough, despite our sixth position.

Image source, Shutterstock

Thankfully, the international break now looms, which means a chance for a few recoveries from the current long injury list.

A fully-fit Millwall squad should be able to compete for the play-off places, but maintaining a healthy group has proven to be the key question for the Lions so far this campaign.

Quite why we seem so prone to injuries to key players remains the main point of debate around The Den.

My message to the Millwall squad ahead of the final international round of fixtures?

Get well soon boys…