It’s a top-six clash at The Den this weekend as Millwall host Preston North End in what promises to be a fiercely contested Championship encounter.
The Lions sit fifth in the table, having played 14, winning seven, drawing three, and losing four. Just one place above them, Preston are fourth, also with seven wins but boasting a slightly better record thanks to four draws and three defeats.
For Millwall, it’s a chance to bounce back after a 4–0 defeat to Birmingham City on Tuesday night. Former Preston boss Alex Neil will be hoping his current side can respond quickly and strengthen their promotion push. The Lions finished just two points outside the play-offs last season and are determined to go one step further this campaign.
However, Neil faces a mounting injury list. Steven Benda, Ryan Leonard, Massimo Luongo, Will Smallbone, Femi Azeez, and Josh Coburn are all sidelined, while Lukas Jensen and Danny McNamara remain unavailable despite being close to full fitness.
For the visitors, Preston North End come into this fixture on a high after a 2–1 victory over Swansea City at Deepdale in midweek. There’s some good news for manager Paul Heckingbottom
with Jordan Thompson back in the squad for the first time this season, and Pol Valentín and Daniel Jebbison returning to training and pushing for inclusion.
However, Preston will be without several key players, including Ali McCann, Andrija Vukčević, Brad Potts, Lewis Gibson, Robbie Brady, and Will Keane.
The build-up to this match has been overshadowed by major off-field news, as Preston forward Milutin Osmajic has been handed a nine-game ban and fined £21,000 after being found guilty of racially abusing Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri in February. Osmajic, who denies the allegations, will miss all fixtures up to and including Preston’s game against Stoke City on 26 December. The club has expressed its disappointment with the FA’s decision but reaffirmed its stance against all forms of discrimination.
On the pitch, both sides will be eager to make a statement. Last season’s meeting at The Den saw Millwall run out 3–1 winners, and the home fans will be hoping for a repeat performance this time around.
Kick-off at The Den is at 12.30pm on Saturday, with coverage and updates here on Solent Sports News.
