Newcastle United will look to secure a spot in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup when they hit the road to face Millwall.
Millwall will host Newcastle United at the Den on Tuesday night in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The EFL Championship outfit will look to punch above their weight and script an upset against the Premier League outfit.
The home team have endured a mixed start to the new season as they are seventh in the Championship with three wins and two defeats in five outings. More importantly, they are heading into this fixture on the back of a massive 4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.
Millwall won on penalties against QPR in the first round of the EFL Cup before securing a 1-0 win over Cambridge United in the second round. Now they will hope they can stun the Magpies and make it to the next phase.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United are unbeaten in the Premier League under new boss Matthias Jaissle. With one win and two draws in three outings, it might not be the best of starts, but there has been a lot of promise from his team.
However, they could only secure a draw against Bournemouth in their last outing. While it was a disappointing result, they did come back from two goals behind to secure a point. The Magpies will be confident about getting back to winning ways, and they will certainly be the favourites. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Millwall
Millwall have several players unavailable, with Josh Coburn (muscle), Casper De Norre (muscle), Tristan Crama (muscle), Ryan Leonard (hamstring), Mihailo Ivanovic (hamstring), and Mathis Servais (hamstring) all currently sidelined. Meanwhile, Jenson Metcalfe is suspended following a red card in their last outing.
The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Max Crocombe starting between the sticks. Jordi Osei-Tutu and Zak Sturge should feature as the full-backs, while Caleb Taylor is likely to partner Jake Cooper in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Daniel Kelly and Derek Mazou-Sacko should form the double pivot in the middle of the park. The duo will look to protect the backline while also helping Millwall hit the opposition on the break.
Tairyk Arconte and Romain Esse are expected to occupy the wide areas, providing width to their attacks. Camiel Neghli should take up the number ten role behind Lyndon Dykes, who will lead the line for the home team.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Crocombe; Osei-Tutu, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge; Kelly, Mazou-Sacko; Arconte, Neghli, Esse; Dykes
Newcastle United
Newcastle United have several players unavailable, with Daniel Burn (ankle), Joelinton (muscle), and William Osula (knock) all currently sidelined.
Matthias Jaissle’s team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ewen Jaouen starting between the sticks. Valentino Livramento and Lewis Hall should feature as the full-backs, while Malick Thiaw is likely to pair up with Sven Botman in the heart of the defence.
In midfield, Nico Gonzalez and Lewis Miley should form the double pivot. The duo will look to protect the backline while also helping Newcastle control possession and dictate the tempo of the game.
Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes are expected to occupy the wide areas, providing pace and width to Newcastle’s attacks. Joe Willock should take up the number ten role behind Yoane Wissa, who is likely to lead the line for the home team.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jaouen; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Miley, Gonzalez; Murphy, Joe Willock, Barnes; Wissa
Key Stats
- After conceding eight goals in two outings, Millwall finally secured a clean sheet and ended up bagging four goals in their last game.
- Newcastle United are unbeaten in their last five games, but have only won two of those fixtures.
- Millwall have won three out of their last five games.
- Newcastle United have scored ten goals in their last five games.
Player to Watch
Joe Willock
Willock has enjoyed a decent role under new boss Jaissle so far. He has been involved in all four games and has been used in an advanced position. The English midfielder has been deployed as an attacking midfielder, and he has shown a lot of promise.
The 27-year-old already has a goal to his name and will now be eager to add to his tally against Millwall. Willock will look to ensure he makes the most of the chances he is getting and establishes himself as a regular starter.
Prediction
Millwall 0-2 Newcastle United
Newcastle United should have enough quality to get past Millwall, but the Championship side’s recent 4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers means they will head into this contest with plenty of confidence. Playing at home should also help the hosts, and they could make things difficult for the Premier League outfit, particularly if they manage to stay compact defensively.
However, Newcastle have remained unbeaten under Matthias Jaissle and possess considerably more quality across the pitch. The visitors should dominate possession and create enough opportunities to secure a comfortable victory, although Millwall could make them work for it. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Newcastle United.
