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May 7, 2022 at 12.30pm UK at Dean Court
Bournemouth
vs.
Millwall

Preview: Bournemouth vs. Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Bournemouth and Millwall, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Premier League-bound Bournemouth finish the Championship season with a home fixture against a Millwall side who still have an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

The Cherries secured promotion back to the top-flight in midweek, while the Lions are in eighth place – three points behind the top six.


Match preview

Kieffer Moore celebrates scoring the goal which earned Bournemouth promotion to the Premier League on May 3, 2022.© Reuters

Bournemouth prevented the race for automatic promotion being taken to the final day with a 1-0 win over third-place Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

Kieffer Moore came off the bench to score the only goal in the 83rd minute as the Cherries booked their Premier League return after two years in the second tier.

Scott Parker's side, who are guaranteed to finish second, have not dropped lower than third since going top of the table on September 14.

Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last seven matches and have lost just three games at the Vitality Stadium all season – no Championship club has suffered fewer home defeats this term.

The Cherries also have the joint-best defence in the division, having conceded just 39 goals. Goalkeeper Mark Travers has most clean sheets (19).

Millwall manager Gary Rowett © Reuters

Millwall also have a sturdy defence and only the Championship's top three – Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest – have conceded fewer goals than them this season.

The Lions won 3-0 over already-relegated Peterborough United last weekend to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Gary Rowett's side are three points behind sixth-place Luton with a better goal difference, so to finish in the top six they need to beat Bournemouth and hope the Hatters lose to Reading and seventh-place Middlesbrough fail to win against Preston.

Millwall have suffered just two defeats in their last 16 matches, but have not won back-to-back games since the start of March and are winless in their last five away from home.

Furthermore, the Lions are without a win in their last five visits to the Vitality Stadium since victory there in December 2000. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in this season's reverse fixture at The Den, when Benik Afobe cancelled out Dominic Solanke's opener.

Bournemouth Championship form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • W
  • W

Millwall Championship form:
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W



Team News

Bournemouth manager Scott Parker before the match on April 9, 2022© Reuters

With promotion secured, Scott Parker may give opportunities to some of the fringe players in his squad such as Tuesday's matchwinner Kieffer Moore.

Midfielder Jefferson Lerma was forced off injured just before the hour mark in midweek so is unlikely to feature.

Jamal Lowe was absent for the game against Forest and the subsequent celebrations due to illness, so he will hope to return and play a part.

After making his return from injury off the bench last weekend, Millwall talisman Jed Wallace is in contention to start what could be his final game for the club.

Ryan Leonard started against Peterborough for the first time since his four-month spell on the sidelines and should keep his place in the back three with Daniel Ballard still out.

Former Cherry Benik Afobe has scored six goals in his last eight appearances and has been the driving force behind Millwall's playoff bid.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Smith, Mepham, Kelly, Brady; Cook, Pearson; Christie, Billing, Dembele; Moore

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Leonard, Cooper, Hutchinson; McNamara, Saville, Mitchell, M. Wallace; Afobe, J. Wallace; Bradshaw


SM words green background

We say: Bournemouth 1-1 Millwall

A few sore heads in the Bournemouth dressing room may play into Millwall's hands here as they desperately seek a win, but the Lions have been inconsistent of late and their away record is patchy so we think they will only manage to take a point from the south coast.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


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Who will win Saturday's Championship clash between Bournemouth and Millwall?

Bournemouth
Draw
Millwall
Bournemouth
45.5%
Draw
9.1%
Millwall
45.5%
11
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Kieffer Moore celebrates scoring the goal which earned Bournemouth promotion to the Premier League on May 3, 2022.
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Bournemouth seal return to Premier League with Forest win
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CFulham452799106396790
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest4523101272393379
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield4522131062471579
5Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd4520121359451472
6Luton TownLuton452012136255772
7Middlesbrough4520101558461270
8Millwall451815125344969
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn451812155749866
10West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom451713154845364
11Coventry CityCoventry451712165958163
12Queens Park RangersQPR45189185959063
13Stoke CityStoke451710185651561
14Preston North EndPreston451516144855-761
15Swansea CitySwansea451613165867-961
16Blackpool451612175453160
17Bristol City451510206275-1355
18Hull City45148234053-1350
19Cardiff CityCardiff45148234968-1950
20Birmingham CityBirmingham451114204973-2447
21Reading45138245486-3241
RDerby CountyDerby451413184552-734
RPeterborough UnitedPeterborough45810273887-4934
RBarnsley45612273369-3630

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