Match Pack: Millwall vs Saints
Get set for another trip to the capital as Southampton head to The Den searching for a fifth straight victory under interim manager Tonda Eckert.
THE MATCH
Millwall vs Southampton
Sky Bet Championship
The Den
Saturday 29th November, 3pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee:Ben Toner
Assistants: Conor Brown, Daniel Leach
Fourth official: David Rock
THE KITS
Both teams will be in their traditional colours at The Den, with Saints wearing the home kit against Millwall’s navy shirts, white shorts and navy socks.
TICKETS
Saints fans have already sold out the club’s allocation of 3,002 tickets for this one.
LIVE COVERAGE
For those unable to make it to The Den, Saints Play match passes are available to supporters outside the UK.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints are eyeing up a fifth successive win to close the gap on Millwall, who currently occupy fourth place in the Sky Bet Championship table, to just a single point.
Saints are unbeaten in their last six visits to The Den, including dramatic late victories in each of their last two league trips, with Rickie Lambert completing a hat-trick with a pair of late penalties in 2011/12, and Ryan Fraser scoring the only goal of the game in stoppage time in 2023/24, as both seasons ended in promotion.
Victory for the hosts would see them climb into the automation promotion places should Stoke and Middlesbrough both lose.
The Lions have taken 13 points from a possible 15 at home since a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Coventry at the start of October, and have conceded only one goal in those five games.
TEAM NEWS
Millwall: Zak Sturge will miss the game through concussion protocols, whilst Derek Mazou-Sacko has joined an injury list also including Billy Mitchell, Josh Coburn, Massimo Luongo, Lukas Jensen and Will Smallbone, who would not be eligible to play regardless. Joe Bryan serves the second game of a three-match suspension.
Saints: Eckert will definitely be without the suspended Flynn Downes along with the injured quintet of Sam Edozie, Ross Stewart, Elias Jelert, Shea Charles and Mads Roerslev.
Oriol Romeu will be in the squad for the first time since returning to the club three weeks ago, while Ryan Fraser is also fit to feature, but Leo Scienza and Damion Downs are doubts due to illness and injury respectively.
THE MANAGERS
Alex Neil: “It’s a huge test, they (Saints) are in great form at the moment, scoring a lot of goals – they’re one of the best squads in the league, let’s be honest, when you look at their team and how much they’ve spent on their squad.
"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."
Tonda Eckert: “They (Millwall) have an excellent manager. I remember playing [Alex Neil] when he was at Preston still. They’re very well prepared, have a very clear identity on what they do. I watched their game on Wednesday night and it will be a big challenge for us.
“I think we can overcome every challenge in the Championship, and we have to if we want to achieve something this year. We might have to suffer and do our work, but if we overcome these moments we will be okay.”
ONES TO WATCH
Femi Azeez: Making his return from injury in midweek after a three-game lay-off, Azeez scored the winner against Sheffield Wednesday 10 minutes after arriving off the bench.
The attacker was in flying form before that, scoring in each of Millwall’s four successive wins in October, meaning he has scored in his last four appearances at The Den.
Finn Azaz: With five goal involvements in his last four appearances, Azaz has well and truly arrived as a Saint in recent weeks.
The midfielder has the chance to score in four successive Championship games for the first time on Saturday, and already has a 3-0 win at The Den to his name this season from his time as a Middlesbrough player.
TOP PERFORMERS
Millwall
Goals:
Azeez 5
Ivanovic 3
Neghli, Cooper, Leonard 2
Assists:
Ballo, Emakhu 3
Doughty 2
Nine players 1
Saints
Goals:
Armstrong 6
Azaz 4
Manning, Harwood-Bellis 3
Assists:
Armstrong, Manning 3
Fraser, Fellows 2
Twelve players 1
FORM GUIDE
Millwall
Sheff Wed (h) SBC: W 1-0 (Azeez)
Portsmouth (a) SBC: L 1-3 (Ivanović)
Preston (h) SBC: D 1-1 (Ivanović)
Birmingham (a) SBC: L 0-4
Oxford (a) SBC: D 2-2 (Ballo, Cooper)
Saints
Leicester (h) SBC: W 3-0 (Harwood-Bellis 2, Azaz)
Charlton (a) SBC: W 5-1 (Manning, Armstrong, Jander, Azaz 2)
Sheff Wed (h) SBC: W 3-1 (Jander, Azaz, Armstrong)
QPR (a) SBC: W 2-1 (Robinson, Scienza)
Preston (h) SBC: L 0-2
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 65
Millwall wins: 18
Draws: 18
Saints wins: 29
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Feb 2024: Saints 1-2 Millwall Championship (Adams)
Nov 2023: Millwall 0-1 Saints Championship (Fraser)
Aug 2014: Millwall 0-2 Saints Capital One Cup second round (Cork, Pellè)
Mar 2012: Millwall 2-3 Saints Championship (Lambert hat-trick, 2 pens)
Feb 2012: Saints 2-3 Millwall FA Cup fourth round (Lallana, Lambert)
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