Preview: Millwall vs. Birmingham City - prediction, team news, lineups

Millwall will be looking to claim their first Championship victory in over a month when they welcome Birmingham City to The Den on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors, meanwhile, are hoping to secure back-to-back league wins for the first time since October and climb into the top half of the table.

Match preview

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Millwall extended their winless league run to four matches when they suffered a 2-1 defeat away against Hull City last weekend.

Tom Bradshaw's strike in first-half stoppage time cancelled out George Honeyman's opener, however the hosts regained the lead seven minutes after the break through Ryan Longman and were able to hold on for all three points.

Gary Rowett's men remain 10th in the Championship standings, but the gap between them and the playoffs has now increased to six points.

Millwall have struggled defensively in recent weeks, keeping only one clean sheet in their last nine league games. The Lions will, however, be confident of keeping Birmingham's attack quiet on Saturday as they have kept seven clean sheets in their last nine league matches against the Blues, including shutouts in both encounters last season.

Rowett's side also have an impressive record on home soil, losing just one of their last eight Championship matches at The Den, as well as scoring in each of their last 12 games in front of the Lions faithful.

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Birmingham ended a run of three league games without a win when they secured a slender 1-0 win at home against high-flying Blackpool last weekend.

After a goalless first half, the deadlock was eventually broken in the 81st minute when substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz bundled the ball in from close range, netting just his second goal of the campaign.

That result has seen the Blues climb three places up to 14th in the Championship, 10 points clear of the relegation zone and seven behind the top six.

Lee Bowyer's men travel to Millwall on Saturday after winning only one of their last eight league games away from home and failing to score on six occasions in the process.

Following a 2-0 loss at The Den last season, Birmingham will be hoping to avoid successive league defeats at Millwall for the first time since losing in 1994 and 1996 under former boss Barry Fry.

Team News

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Millwall will be without versatile midfielder Ryan Leonard and winger Connor Mahoney as they continue to recover from respective ankle and hamstring injuries.

After using a 4-2-3-1 formation in the defeat to Hull, Rowett may decide to revert back to a 3-4-3 system this weekend, which could see centre-back Jake Cooper return to the starting lineup.

Bradshaw will be hoping to retain his place in the first XI, however attacking trio Benik Afobe, Jed Wallace and Sheyi Ojo are all expected to start.

As for Birmingham, midfield due Ryan Woods and Gary Gardner will serve the second and third of their respective three and four-match suspensions and both will next be available to play on December 18 against Blackburn Rovers.

The Blues will also be without George Friend (leg), Maxime Colin (Achilles) and Adan George (knee) due to injury.

Bowyer is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, though both Jutkiewicz and Chuks Aneke will be hoping to force their way into the first XI, after starting on the bench last weekend.

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Ballard, Hutchinson, Cooper; McNamara, Saville, Mitchell, Malone; J. Wallace, Ojo; Afobe

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Sarkic; Sanderson, Roberts, Pederson; Graham, James, Sunjic, McGree, Bela; Hogan, Deeney

We say: Millwall 2-1 Birmingham City

Millwall and Birmingham head into this contest off the back of contrasting results last weekend, with the Blues in higher spirits and hoping to leapfrog the Lions in the table with a victory.

However, the hosts have enjoyed playing at The Den in recent weeks and we can see Rowett's men returning to winning ways with a narrow win.

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