MILLWALL were 19 points behind Scunthorpe after they lost 3-0 at Glanford Park last December.
The Lions went on a 16-game unbeaten run in the league after that defeat, while the Iron have won just five times in 18 games since then. Millwall are currently seven points behind Saturday’s opponents with a game in hand.
Neil Harris’ side’s play-off fate is currently out of their own hands, after Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United left them three points behind Southend, who have a plus-seven better goal difference.
Millwall haven’t won any of their four league games since exiting the FA Cup with a 6-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and need three points against Scunthorpe not only to avoid falling further behind the top but also to avoid the sense that this is a worrying slump that could see their season peter out.
Failure to win against Graham Alexander’s side would also match this season’s longest winless sequence – six games in September and October.
Scunthorpe’s 3-2 win over Bradford last weekend was just their second in 12 games, though both have come in the last three. Their concession of three penalties to Gillingham earlier this month to blow a 2-0 lead seemed to be representative of their season: in freefall after seemingly been on an unstoppable charge to the Championship.
So Saturday is set up to be a potentially season-defining encounter for both teams.
Millwall are likely to be without Jordan Archer, who went off at Bramall Lane generic lexapro fda with a reoccurrence of the quad injury he suffered last month against Leicester City. Tom King will start in his place.
Scunthorpe are withouth Kevin van Veen, Sam Mantom and Charlie Goode, but assistant boss Chris Lucketti is confident ahead of their trip to The Den.
“Millwall will be a tough test but we need to show the same determination, quality, character and resilience to get three points,” he told Scunthorpe Telegraph.
“We know we have to work hard and if we show the same commitment and play to our true potential we have a great chance of getting the three points.”
Alexander is hoping those two recent wins will give them confidence as they chase a third successive victory against Millwall.
He told Scunthorpe’s website: “They are of course chasing for the play-offs, and they’ll see this as a chance to take points off a rival and put some more to their tally.
“I’m trying to think back to when we had an easy game – there aren’t any.
“It’ll be a tough game, but we go there with the confidence of winning two of our last three games, and being close to taking points in the other games.”
Millwall record against Scunthorpe United
Played 22
Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 11
Form guide
Millwall: LDDLL
Scunthorpe: LLWLW
Probable teams
Millwall (4-4-2): King; Romeo, Webster, Cooper, Craig; Wallace, Thompson, Williams, O’Brien; Gregory, Morison.
Scunthorpe (4-4-2): Daniels; Townsend, Wallace, Mirfin, Clarke; Morris, Dawson, Crooks, Adelakun; Madden, Toney.
Match odds
Millwall 10/11 Draw 12/5 Scunthorpe 16/5
Image: Millwall FC