MILLWALL could be boosted by the returns of Mason Bennett and Luke Freeman for their latest must-win game in the play-off race.
The Lions travel to Gary Rowett’s former club Birmingham City on Saturday when they will be trying to enter the top six for the first time since October 2020.
Bennett has been out since mid-March and Freeman has only played 13 minutes since his January loan move from Sheffield United, but both returned to training last week.
Jed Wallace and Scott Malone are major doubts and are in a race to recover from groin and hamstring injuries respectively to face Peterborough United at The Den the following weekend.
Shaun Hutchinson should replace Malone, with Murray Wallace moving to left wing-back and Jake Cooper – who is set to make his 250th Lions appearance – going to the left side of the back three.
Millwall are one point behind Sheffield United, and the other side preventing them from having their destiny in their own hands is Middlesbrough, who are two points behind the Lions with a game in hand.
The Blades host Steve Morison’s Cardiff City tomorrow and Boro travel to Swansea, the latter who still have an outside shot at the play-offs.
Blues, meanwhile, were routed 6-1 at Blackpool last weekend and after the game boss Lee Bowyer said it was his lowest moment in football.
Birmingham have little to play for after securing their Championship place for next season, but the Lions will have to be braced for a response from the home side at St Andrew’s.
Millwall had to request an extended allocation for the clash, and Bowyer wants the backing of the home fans against the Lions.
“I want us to finish the season in the right way,” Bowyer said on Birmingham’s official website. “Training today has been good, not too upbeat obviously, but their mentality and work-rate has been spot on. It is the reaction I expected from the group.
“We need to turn a negative into a positive. As a group, we need to move on from Monday. We need to go into this next game with positivity and to turn this around.
“Get behind us, we are going to need [the fans]. I hope they see a reaction that we demand of [the players]. The weekend wasn’t good enough. Fans expect us to work hard and give it our all. We need to go out there and fight.
“We’re mathematically safe with three games to go, the season has gone okay.
“If I’m honest, it could and should have been slightly better. We have had a lot of bad injuries and decisions go against us. It has been tough.
“Everything I set out to do from when I started, I have done: Kept us in the division, given youngsters a chance and improved players as individuals.”
Tahith Chong and George Friend are set to be available for Birmingham, while Bowyer also expects goalkeeper Neil Etheridge to be fit for the game.
Possible Millwall starting XI: 5-2-1-2: Bialkowski; McNamara, Ballard, Hutchinson, Cooper, M Wallace; Mitchell, Saville; Burey; Afobe, Bradshaw.
Match odds: Birmingham 13/5 Draw 2/1 Millwall 13/10
Last meeting: Championship (December 4, 2021): Millwall 3-1 Birmingham (M Wallace 10, Bradshaw 41, Evans 73; Deeney 56).
Image: Millwall FC