SWANSEA CITY are looking to kick their season into high gear as they prepare to face Millwall.
The Welsh side had endured their longest winless start to a campaign since 1991 before last week’s much needed 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.
That result could work either way for Millwall – either it could energise the Swans or it could relieve some pressure off their players and result in complacency.
Either way, Gary Rowett will be looking for his side to build upon their last two results – a comfortable 3-0 win over Rotherham United and a hard-fought goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion.
The two performances underlined the two things that Millwall have generally been good at for some time: overwhelming opponents at home with relentless energy and sitting in and getting draws in games less determined teams would have lost.
The results mean Millwall ended the weekend just two points off the top six and with four clean sheets from their opening eight games, two stats that are encouraging after a mixed start to the season.
Less welcoming are the pattern of injuries that has begun to afflict the Lions, with Kevin Nisbet going off against Rotherham with an ankle issue and Tom Bradshaw picking up a knock which led to his substitution against West Brom. Nisbet could be back but Bradshaw, Shaun Hutchinson and Matija Sarkic and Murray Wallace will all be out.
While Millwall were battling it out at The Hawthorns, just over 100 miles away thousands of Swansea fans were breathing a collective sigh of relief during the win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Goals from Jamal Lowe, Jerry Yates and Charlie Patino secured the three points to take some of the pressure off new manager Michael Duff.
The former Barnsley boss, who replaced Russell Martin during the summer, was coming under fire after a slow start.
A few days before the win against Wednesday, Swansea had led most of the game away against QPR before conceding a stoppage time Lyndon Dykes equaliser.
The Swans have also twice led 1-0 at half time this season before eventually losing 2-1 against both Preston North End and Bristol City.
The Welsh club sit just outside the Championship’s relegation spots, which is some contrast to a decade ago when they had finished ninth in the Premier League, won the League Cup and beat Valencia 3-0 away in the Europa League.
Despite their struggles, Swansea will pose a threat with Arsenal loanee Patino, 19, former Blackpool striker Jerry Yates and speedy winger Josh Ginnelly among those who Millwall will have to watch closely. But Ginnelly may not be fit after he went off injured against Sheffield Wednesday.
Jamal Lowe, a player Gary Rowett said Millwall had tried to sign previously in his pre-match press conference, will also look to trouble the Lions’ defence. He scored twice in this fixture back in 2021.
The only current Millwall players who have scored against the Swans, Bradshaw and Wallace, will both be missing due to injury.
The Lions will be slight favourites going into this game but have a pretty poor record in this fixture, losing four of their last seven at The Den going back to November 2007.
Millwall also only have two victories in their last twelve against Swansea home or away, but did win the last game 2-1 in March thanks to goals from Bradshaw and Andreas Voglsammer.
After the win over Rotherham, another three points on Saturday means Millwall will secure back-to-back home wins for the first time since October last year.