Leeds United will be keen to build upon their three game unbeaten run when they travel to Millwall on Sunday
It has been a poor start to the 2023/24 season for Leeds United, and they will be keen to get back to winning ways when they travel to the Den on Sunday to take on Millwall. The venue is not a good one for the visitors, given that they have now won there since 2011/12. In fact, Millwall have won eight of the last ten games they played against Leeds at home.
Home advantage has amounted to much in this tie in recent times. After all, 13 of the last 16 league games between the two sides saw the home team come out on top. Given current form, it remains to be seen if Leeds can buck that trend on Sunday.
Gary Rowett’s side narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season and have largely struggled to get going this time around. Leeds were also keen to return to the Premier League on the first time of asking but have so far failed to impress.
A run of two draws and a win in the last three games has stabilised the visitors’ point tally. But unless they can string together a winning run, they will struggle to challenge the likes of Leicester City at the top. As things stand, both Leeds and Millwall are in midtable.
Both teams also enjoyed busy end to the summer transfer window. The international break will have given them time to settle in, and it remains to be seen which of them will make an immediate impact. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on Sunday and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Millwall
🗣️ #Millwall manager Gary Rowett looks ahead to this Sunday’s match.
— Millwall FC (@MillwallFC) September 15, 2023
The home side have struggled to score goals this season, netting a mere four times in five games so far. To put it into context, only bottom placed Middlesbrough have scored fewer goals than Millwall so far this season.
The Lions are currently 13th in the Championship standings with two wins from their opening five games. They are a point above Leeds who have found some semblance of consistency of late. Millwall will be without Shaun Hutchinson, who suffered an ankle injury against Birmingham City. George Honeyman also remains sidelined with a muscle injury for the game.
New signings Allan Campbell and Ryan Longman are in line to make their full debuts and it remains to be seen if Gary Rowett will throw them into the firing line. The Lions’ boss is likely to deploy his side in a 3-4-2 formation. Matija Sarkic should start in goal behind the back three of Ryan Leonard, Wes Harding and Jake Cooper.
Billy Mitchell and George Saville will be expected to hold the fort in the middle of the park giving Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Murray Wallace the freedom to push forward on the flanks. Zian Flemming will be expected to lead the line on Sunday, with Tom Bradshaw and Kevin Nisbet providing support.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Sarkic; Leonard, Harding, Cooper; Norton-Cuffy, Mitchell, Saville, Wallace; Bradshaw, Flemming, Nisbet
Leeds United
With five points from the last three games, Daniel Farke has to an extent steadied the rocking Leeds ship. However, the West Yorkshire giants will need to do much better if they are keen to challenge for promotion.
Injuries have not made life any easier either with several players ruled out. The likes of Daniel James, Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford and Junior Firpo are all still unavailable, preventing Farke from deploying his best playing XI.
A busy end to the summer transfer window saw Leeds part ways with Cody Drameh, Sam Greenwood and Luis Sinisterra. However, the signings of Ilia Gruev, Glen Kamara and Jaidon Anthony will make up for numbers.
💪 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹#LUFC x @Boost_Drinks pic.twitter.com/eGSaJhlTx0
— Leeds United (@LUFC) September 15, 2023
Leeds are expected to lineup in Farke’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Illan Meslier should start in goal behind the back four of Luke Ayling, Joe Rodon, Patrick Struijk and Jamie Shackleton.
Glen Kamara and Ethan Ampadu are expected to form the double pivot in the middle of the park giving the trio of Crysencio Summerville, Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnonto an opportunity to push forward. Georginio Rutter should start upfront as the focal point of attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Rodon, Struijk, Shackleton; Kamara, Ampadu; Summerville, Piroe, Gnonto; Rutter
Key Stats
- Leeds United last won away to Millwall in the 2011/12 season. Millwall have won eight of the last ten games against Leeds at home.
- The last three games between both these teams have seen the home side take home the bragging rights. In fact, 13 of the last 16 games between the two teams have ended with a win for the home team.
- A win on Sunday will see Millwall win consecutive league games for the first time since October 2022.
- A clean sheet will see Leeds secure consecutive shutouts in the league for the first time since April 2022.
- Leeds United have forced 59 turnovers this season, more than any other side in the second division. Meanwhile, no team have faced more turnovers this season than Millwall (24).
Player to Watch
Wilfried Gnonto
The Italian sensation finally has his head in the right spot and is now back in the reckoning to be included in Farke’s plans. He made his competitive return for Leeds before the international break and will now be keen to push on.
Gnonto is an exciting talent who will be keen to impress. A difficult player to keep quiet, there is every chance he can make a major impact on the result if not kept quiet.
Prediction
Milwall 1-2 Leeds United
Millwall’s attackers are struggling for form but Leeds aren’t great shakes at keeping clean sheets either. However, the visitors have shown a better aptitude in terms of scoring goals and have the firepower to come out on top in a shooting contest. The quality in the ranks should see Farke’s men secure a massive three points this weekend.
