Millwall will face fellow Championship side Leicester City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday night.
Millwall have held the edge over Leicester City in the FA Cup and will hope to upset their more illustrious rivals once again when the competition returns to the Den this weekend.
A run of five games without defeat has seen the Lions distance themselves from the Championship relegation zone. Such form is something Leicester City are familiar with as they continue to hold onto the summit in the English second tier.
Form means little in knockout tournaments, and the FA Cup is famous for its romanticism. Curiously, Leicester have failed to beat Millwall in the competition since 1969. One will have to go all the way to 1934 to see the Foxes triumph over the Lions in the FA Cup. It will be a statistic they will be keen to rectify this weekend.
Millwall’s most recent loss in all competitions came against Leicester, where the Foxes prevailed 3-2 at the King Power Stadium. This game, however, is unlikely to be much of a priority for both managers given they have bigger fish to fry. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Millwall
The Lions have won their last three games on the trot and appear to be finding their best form as the second half of the 2023/24 season kicks off. While clubs often dream of a deep run in the FA Cup, one can claim that Millwall would rather aim to push on and finish as high up the Championship table as they can, perhaps even sneaking into a playoff spot if the stars align.
Joe Edwards is likely to make changes to his best XI on Saturday. The home side will be without Casper De Norre, and Wes Harding, both of whom are nursing injuries. George Saville is also unavailable as he serves a suspension.
A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the way forward for the home side, given Leicester’s ability to dominate the ball. Depriving Enzo Maresca’s side of possession should be a key tactic should the Lions prove themselves capable of pulling it off.
Bartosz Białkowski should get a start in goal behind the back four of Danny McNamara, Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper and Joe Bryan. George Honeyman and Billy Mitchell will aim to hold the fort down, with Aidomo Emakhu and Ryan Longman providing the width. Zian Flemming is expected to don the number 10 role, with Kevin Nisbet leading the line for Millwall against Leicester City.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bialkowski; McNamara, Hutchinson, Cooper, Bryan; Honeyman, Mitchell; Emakhu, Flemming, Longman; Nisbet
Leicester City
The Foxes are a strong side that are the favourites to secure promotion back to the Premier League. They last won the FA Cup in 2021, the only time in their history. Much has changed since then, and the trophy is unlikely to be Enzo Maresca’s primary priority as of yet.
Leicester are expected to make several changes to their lineup, handing some of the fringe players an opportunity for a runout. Two players who remain unavailable are Kasey McAteer and Jamie Vardy, both of whom are still injured. Kelechi Iheanacho is also out and given his love affair with the competition, he will be missed. In addition, Wilfred Ndidi is a long-term absentee.
Maresca is likely to go with a 4-3-3 formation that can also double up as a 4-2-3-1 if needed. Jakub Stolarczyk should get the nod in goal behind the back four of Hamza Choudhury, Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, and Callum Doyle.
Chelsea loanee Cesare Casadei should start at the apex of the midfield, with Harry Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall alongside him. Marc Albrighton and Stephy Mavdidi should provide the width, with Thomas Cannon retaining his spot upfront for Leicester against Millwall.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Stolarczyk; Choudhary, Vestergaard, Coady, Doyle; Dewsbury-Hall, Casadei, Winks; Albrighton, Cannon, Mavididi
Key Stats
- This is the sixth meeting in the FA Cup clash between Millwall and Leicester City. The Foxes have won two, while Millwall have won the remaining three.
- A win on Saturday will see Leicester City beat Millwall for the first time in the FA Cup since 1969.
- A win on the weekend will see Leicester City win consecutive away games to Millwall for the first time since 2009.
- Defeat on Saturday will see Millwall lose five home games in the FA Cup.
- Defeat this weekend will see Leicester City exit the FA Cup in the third round stage for the first time since 2018/19.
Player to Watch
Thomas Cannon
The Africa Cup of Nations has taken Patson Daka, while Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho are on the sidelines. So, Thomas Cannon will have the opportunity to lead the line for Leicester City against Millwall on Saturday.
A highly-rated attacker, Cannon’s stock is on the rise, with a long run of games on the cards for the youngster. What better way to bolster your star than by delivering the goods for your team and take them to the next round of the FA Cup?
Prediction
Millwall 0-2 Leicester City
While Millwall have held the upper hand over Leicester City in the FA Cup for 55 years, the Foxes, even in a weaker state, have the benefit in terms of quality. Enzo Maresca’s side have a proper identity and have strength in depth to boot. While the game is unlikely to be one sides, it should see the Foxes come away with a victory, etching their name in the draw for the fourth round.
