Millwall

Image source, Rex Features

Millwall manager Alex Neil says his side's 3-1 win over Norwich City is "one of the best" since his appointment at The Den.

Two goals from Mihailo Ivanovic, either side of Femi Azeez's header, were enough for the Londoners to steer past the Canaries as they push to get into the play-off places.

"I think regardless of the other results it was a brilliant performance," Neil told BBC Radio London after the match.

"I'd probably say it's up there as one of the best performances I've had since I've been here.

"I thought we were really aggressive, we created so many chances in the game. We scored three but we probably could've scored more.

"I thought defensively we were sound throughout the match. We've got a debutant at left back, we've got a young goalkeeper and I thought both of them were excellent as well.

"All in all, a great day at The Den if you take into consideration the results. I don't think we could've hoped for much more."

Image source, PA Media

Millwall head coach Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 4-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

"The change in the game was taking the chances. They had two really good opportunities in the start and between that [and the goal] we had four or five really good opportunities to get the goal.

"They then get the first goal, we then respond and get another really good goal.

"Our management then has to be [to] get to half-time, make sure we can regroup, start the second half well and see where the game goes next.

"Unfortunately we conceded. What it meant was we had to continue to push and go for the next goal.

"We did have the next chance in the second half with Josh Coburn. I think if that goes in the complexion in the game completely shifts.

"I thought the third goal going in completely took the wind out of us and I think you could see that with the players, they looked as if [they thought] this is a long way back.

"I said to them my biggest problem probably at the end of the game was we looked as though we lacked a little belief at that stage and that's a frustration for me because that's not a nice sight to have as a coach."

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn head coach Valerien Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire following his side's 4-1 win over Millwall.

"It was a great afternoon, especially the way we wanted to play. We kept going after the second half against Sheffield Wednesday, the fighting spirit [we showed] against Luton, last week and I think we combined them both today - from minute one we were on the front foot.

"We see clearly the way the players want to reinforce the message, the game plan, the way we want to play.

"When you get the result the players start to believe and put some confidence in the things and it looks like today was the best performance I think from the players since I'm in."

On Callum Brittain: "On the other hand, you see clearly when you are missing key players it makes a huge difference.

"Callum Brittain in the first game back in and you see straightaway he lifted the quality in the team.

"This team needs the best players on the pitch to perform and now we see the statistics as well - much more shots on target, much more penetration and more goals."

With three wins in a row, Millwall are on a charge to grab a top-six place and this week has seen a lot of chatter among Lions fans over their chances of doing so (see entries below).

A fourth victory on the spin on Good Friday (15:00 BST) could take them right into the mix with the likes of Coventry City, West Bromwich Albion (who play each other) and Middlesbrough.

Rovers are not mathematically out of it but a seven-point gap looks a big one to close.

• Blackburn Rovers have lost none of their past eight league games against Millwall at Ewood Park (W5 D3) since a 2-0 defeat back in November 2012 under Henning Berg.

• Millwall are looking for their first league double over Blackburn since the 1970-71 campaign.

• No team in Football League history has lost more games on Good Friday than Blackburn (32, level with Notts County).

• Millwall haven't lost any of their last 10 league games played on Good Friday (W5 D5) since a 2-0 defeat to Yeovil Town back in April 2009.

• Among each side's past 10 Championship games, no side has picked up fewer points than Blackburn (eight – W2 D2 L6), while Millwall have picked up the joint-second most with 19 (W6 D1 L3

Image source, Rex Features

Three wins on the bounce have put Millwall within three points of the Championship play-off places with four games remaining.

We asked you whether you think the Lions can finish in a top-six spot in the second tier for the first time since 2001-02.

Here's what you said:

Alfie: To be honest, for what Alex Neil has done since coming in, we deserve the play-offs. Players have been class last three games and I can only see this team improving. Millwall to finish sixth for me.

Philip: A real character-filled end of season that I think will fall slightly short. Nonetheless gives hope for a real challenge next season. AN has brought about the best in some of our squad and the new Millwall are thriving.

Stevo: It's a dream. It's the one thing at Millwall that unites us - doing things the difficult way. It can be done but we need a big slice of Lady Luck. Every game is winnable. Every game is a cup final. COYL.

Safouane: I think so. I mean looking at our rivals' fixtures definitely gives me hope. The team's really coming together with Alex Neil at the wheel. Come on Wall!

Richard: I think we will just miss out, but what a great run. Look forward to next year. Great signs good things are to come.

Roger: My feeling is that it will again come down to the final game of the season. It might depend on Burnley's position. If they are champions or in second place, they may relax. If they are in the play-offs, they may want to save themselves and field a weakened team. Otherwise they will be going all out for a win. In that case, Millwall will need to take every opportunity that they are presented with - not always one of their strengths.

Colin: Usually teams that reach the play-offs' sixth position do so with momentum, grit and determination. Millwall have that in abundance. COYL.

Robin: I don't think they will quite make the play-offs. The season is ending a bit too soon for that. But I could be wrong, of course. They have done really well in what has been a tough year. Loads of team spirit, good players and an honest manager whose tactics and coaching are working.

Tim: Possible? Yes. Likely? No. Apart from anything else Millwall's inferior goal difference puts them on the back foot. However, both Bristol City and Coventry have some challenging final games, so if they slip someone could make it in…

Bill: I hope we do but I don't think we will. It isn't just about catching the sixth-placed team, we have two other teams between us and them. We would need a lot of permutations to go our way, not least of all having to win all four of our games. That's a tough ask in the Championship where nothing comes easy. Neil has done a great job. Good recruitment in Jan. Unlucky with injuries. I think recruit well again in the summer and have a full season as the 'new' Millwall and keep believing we can do it.

David: The Lions have as good a chance as any. We have been slowly building under Alex Neil. The influx of a number of quality young players in January bodes well for the future and is part of a broader strategy at the club. If not this season then next.

Image source, Rex Features

On 29 March, Millwall's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland left the Lions 13th in the Championship and a late surge towards the play-offs looked a distant dream.

Fast-forward just over two weeks and three wins later, Alex Neil's men sit ninth, three points outside the top six and the south Londoners can now count themselves as the in-form team to beat.

With their next three matches against mid-table teams 'on the beach', Millwall will be confident they have a good chance of improving on their current league position before heading to promotion hopefuls Burnley on the final day of the season.

This is the Lions eighth consecutive season in the second tier without reaching the play-offs in any of those previous campaign.

With this season's top-six contenders all dropping points in recent weeks, 2025 would be as good a year as ever for Millwall to end that run and continue their campaign beyond 3 May.

Will Millwall continue their good form and make it into the play-offs?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Among many things I never expected to happen in my life, surely making a special effort to watch Hull City play Coventry on Monday night football must be one of them.

"Come on you Tigers," I kept mumbling to myself without much conviction. Hull did at least salvage a late draw to keep Millwall within striking distance.

Saturday's excellent home win over play-off rivals Middlesbrough puts the Lions seriously into the mix for that prized sixth Championship spot.

Of course we still have to hope that pressure makes others stumble and we keep winning.

But as unlikely as Millwall surging into the top six looked just a few weeks ago, Lady Luck suddenly seems to be smiling upon us. It remains to be seen how much longer that will last.

Next, Millwall travel to Blackburn Rovers on Good Friday.

Not easy, especially with our injury list getting longer than my local hospital's waiting list.

As gaffer Alex Neil put it in his Boro post-match interview, though, when the Millwall squad and fans come together, anything is possible.

Don't book your summer holidays just yet...

Find more from Nick Hart on Achtung! Millwall, external.

Image source, Rex Features

Millwall boss Alex Neil said he is "extremely proud" of his players for keeping their Championship play-off hopes alive.

The Lions were 13th, and six points adrift of the top six, following a 1-0 defeat by Sunderland 16 days ago.

But they have since won three games on the bounce - including a 1-0 victory over play-off rivals Middlesbrough on Saturday - to move within two points of Coventry City, in sixth, before they travel to Hull City on Monday evening.

"I've done the play-offs three times and managed to be successful each time, which doesn't mean anything going into it," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"But what it does mean is I've got vast experience in terms of getting into them. I've got a lot of experience in going into these run-ins as well.

"We've still got a lot of work to do, we're still chasing teams above us - there are still two teams we need to chase, which is tough.

"Really, it's down to them [West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough].

"We've got four games against really tough opponents but what this week has done is given us an opportunity that otherwise we wouldn't have had.

"From that perspective, I'm extremely proud of the players in terms of what they've put in."

Millwall's final four Championship fixtures:

• Blackburn (A) - Friday, 18 April

• Norwich (H) - Monday, 21 April

• Swansea (H) - Saturday, 26 April

• Burnley (A) - Saturday, 3 May

Millwall and Middlesbrough meet for a vital contest in the race for the Championship play-offs on Saturday afternoon (15:00 BST).

The Lions are three points behind seventh-placed Boro and five points off the top six after three wins from their past four games.

Boro have won five of their previous eight matches (D1 L2) and are two points behind Coventry City in sixth.

• Millwall have lost both of their previous two league games against Middlesbrough, never before losing three in a row against them.

• After their 1-0 win in December, Middlesbrough could complete their fourth league double over Millwall, after 1928-29, 1973-74, and 2014-15.

• Millwall have won both of their past two home league games, as many as their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D3 L5).

• Middlesbrough have won each of their past five league games against sides from London. Boro have never won six in a row against capital clubs across their EFL history.

• Millwall's Alex Neil has only won one of his five previous managerial home games against Middlesbrough in the Championship (D1 L3), although that was his most recent with Preston in December 2020.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Tuesday's magnificent win at Sheffield United, gives Millwall an unlikely, outsider's shot at the play-offs.

Okay, that late, late goal at Coventry last night certainly sprinkled a spoonful of reality over our morning cornflakes, but we are at our best always as the underdog.

Five points back with five games to play? Can we do it?

With our injury crisis, it will certainly be a massive achievement if we do.

But increasingly Alex Neil is pulling huge performances out of this squad.

The improvement in players like Billy Mitchell, Joe Bryan and Josh Coburn up front, combined with much more tactical nous than we've seen in recent years at The Den, gives us a puncher's chance, to borrow a boxing analogy.

So onto Middlesbrough at home this Saturday.

We'll need the gods of football to smile on us and keep doing so, but, as we've seen this season, this Millwall side can achieve some big results when the heat is on.

Come on you Lions!

Find more from Nick Hart on Achtung! Millwall., external

"Wouldn't you love to see somebody like Millwall make it just to upset the status quo of Premier League football? Wouldn't you just love to see that?"

The 72+ team are joined by Colchester United's Lyle Taylor, and the 35-year-old striker wants to see Millwall, where he started his career, rise to the top division.

"Nobody outside of South East London would want to see Millwall in the Premier League - I'd love to see Millwall in the Premier League," Taylor told the 72+ podcast.

"Just to see how somebody different can upset how things are done at the top table. Just like when Luton did it, it was so different and so refreshing.

"Millwall would never be involved in that boring 0-0 in the Premier League, it would be all blood, guts and thunder."

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Image source, PA Media

Chris Wilder admits his Sheffield United side lack quality in front of goal as their automatic promotion hopes took another blow at home to Millwall.

Josh Coburn's 21st minute strike settled the match despite the hosts having 25 shots and more than 65% possession.

The Blades have lost two Championship games in a row and are two points below league leaders Leeds United and Burnley with five games of the season left to play.

"It's been a tough couple of games for us, we didn't do enough on Saturday and paid the price and just shot ourselves in the foot really," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield after the match.

"The first goal is massive in this division. The goal, from our point of view, there were so many things we could have done better to prevent that.

"I thought the energy from the team was good, we've created enough opportunities [and] we've got the ball where we wanted to get it.

"We've had 25 shots but really when you're looking for that little bit of quality that you need, when we got into those positions we never really found it and fair play to Millwall.

"The quality that we do possess has gone missing tonight at the top of the pitch."

The Blades face Plymouth Argyle (A), Cardiff City (H), Burnley (A), Stoke City (A) and Blackburn Rovers (H) in their remaining games.

"I don't think anybody would have thought that we'd have lost the last two games but we've done that so we have to suffer and to own that and take that on the chin," Wilder added.

"I think I've got enough characters and quality in that group to get us back into a winning run, but it has to come soon and it has to come on Saturday [at Plymouth].

Image source, PA Media

Millwall's 1-0 win at Sheffield United moved the Lions within three points of the play-off places.

Josh Coburn's 21st-minute strike secured a fourth win in six games for Alex Neil's side.

The Lions have now beaten each of the Championship's top three teams this season and head coach Neil believes his side were good value for their victory.

"I thought we deserved it. I think if you look at the clearest chances in the game they fell to us," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"You do know that coming here you are going to have to take bits of pressure and see those bits out. You're going to have to rely on your keeper sometimes and defend well, but that's why Sheffield United have won more games than anyone else in this division so far.

"So we knew it was going to be a tough game, but we came with a game plan and I thought the lads executed it brilliantly.

"I thought we created some really good chances in the game for ourselves. We probably should have scored maybe two in the second half, even three, when you saw how clear cut they were.

"Unfortunately we couldn't put it to bed, which meant we had to put our bodies right to the last second.

"Great performance from us. [I'm] really delighted with how the players are doing at the moment, their application, not even just the starting XI but every single one that comes on the pitch."

Sheffield United welcome Millwall on Tuesday (19:45 BST) as they look to regain the top spot from rivals Burnley.

The Blades suffered a disappointing loss to relegation-threatened Oxford United on the weekend to relinquish their place at the apex to the Clarets.

However, to take it back they will need to claim victory over the Lions, who will also be looking for maximum points as they try to carve out a place in the play-offs.

• After their 1-0 win in December, Sheffield United are looking to complete their first league double over Millwall since 1983-84.

• Millwall have won just one of their last 14 away league games against Yorkshire clubs (D3 L10), a 4-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday in November 2023.

• Under Chris Wilder, Sheffield United have only lost four of their last 32 home games in the Championship (W24 D4), although three of those have come since Boxing Day 2024.

• Millwall have lost both of their last two away league games without scoring, last losing three in a row on the road without finding the net once back in September 2018.

• Each of Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder's last three home games against Millwall have been 1-1 draws, two with the Blades (Apr 2018, Apr 2019) and one with Middlesbrough (Nov 2021).