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

Coventry City will look to continue their impressive start to the Championship season when they travel to Millwall on Saturday.

The Sky Blues, who finished 16th last season, are fourth in the table with 15 points from seven games, just one point off top spot.

Match preview

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Viktor Gyokeres scored his fourth goal of the season as Coventry beat Cardiff City 1-0 on Wednesday night; it was their fifth win of the campaign, which is the joint-most in the division with leaders Fulham.

In truth, the Sky Blues could have scored more in a dominant performance but their finishing let them down; they are the joint-lowest scorers in the Championship's top half with just eight goals.

Only one of those has been scored away from home, while both of Coventry's defeats this season have come on the road at Barnsley and Queens Park Rangers respectively.

The West Midlands outfit do have the joint-best defence in the league though, having conceded just five times so far, and host struggling Peterborough United next weekend so will see an opportunity to build some momentum.

Mark Robins's men won both of their games against Millwall last season, including an emphatic 6-1 victory on the final day of the campaign in May.

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The Lions are yet to really get going in 2021-22 and sit 15th in the table on seven points, two above the relegation zone.

Gary Rowett's side were the Championship's draw specialists last season and are heading the same away again this year, with a 0-0 stalemate against Swansea City on Wednesday being their fourth draw in seven matches.

It was Millwall's first clean sheet of the campaign, but also the first time they had failed to find the back of the net.

With just one win to their name so far, the Lions will be eager to kick start their season as they look ahead to a trip to manager-less Nottingham Forest next weekend.

Team News

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Daniel Ballard was forced off against Swansea in midweek with an eye injury and is likely to be replaced by Ryan Leonard in the back three.

Sheyi Ojo missed the trip to Wales through illness so is a doubt, while Benik Afobe and George Evans are not quite ready to return from respective knee and groin injuries.

Matt Smith is in contention to come back into the starting lineup upfront after Tom Bradshaw made his first league appearance of the season on Wednesday.

Fankaty Dabo was sent off in second half stoppage time in Coventry's win over Cardiff, so he is suspended for the trip to South East London.

Todd Kane is likely to replace Dabo at right wing-back in what could be Mark Robins's only change from midweek.

Sky Blues captain Liam Kelly is back in training after a knee ligament injury but is still a couple of weeks away from being ready to feature.

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Leonard, Wallace, Cooper; Mitchell, Kieftenbeld, Saville, Malone; Wallace, Bennett; Smith

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Moore; Hyam, McFadzean, Clarke-Salter; Kane, Allen, Hamer, Maatsen; O'Hare; Waghorn, Gyokeres

We say: Millwall 1-1 Coventry City

Confidence is high in the Coventry camp at the moment and they will fancy their chances of victory against a middling Millwall side. The Lions are stubborn, though, and not easy to beat, and we think this one will end level.