Millwall vs Southampton prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-11-03 15:00.
After taking a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute away to Watford last weekend, Millwall looked on course to pick up their first win under the caretaker management of Adam Barrett, before they conceded a 92nd minute equaliser. Barrett was understandably disappointed and described Watford’s injury-time goal as a “real sickener”, which could also have been directed toward their recent defensive record which has seen the Lions concede ten goals from their last six games.
Scoring has also been an issue for 18th-placed Millwall, who have already failed to score in three of seven Championship games at The Den this season. Whoever is selected to be the next permanent manager from a shortlist that reportedly includes former Southampton manager Nathan Jones will need to arrest an alarming run of league home form which has yielded only two wins from their last nine league games across two seasons (D1, L6).
For the visitors, The Den has been a happy hunting ground. Southampton have never lost across a total of seven visits to the venue (W5, D2) and have been beaten only twice by Millwall home or away (W8, D10) since successive defeats in the late 1970s! Returning to 2023/24, the Saints are flying high in fourth and travel to South London looking to extend their unbeaten Championship run to seven matches (W4, D2).
Their last game was a 3-1 home win over Birmingham City, and although manager Russell Martin lamented his side’s failure to register what would have been only their second clean sheet of the season, he “watched with a lot of pride” as the Saints took their tally of goals scored to 24, a figure that had been bettered only by the top two sides at the end of the previous round.
Players to watch: Millwall defender Wes Harding had previously scored only once in more than 180 appearances at Championship and League One level before finding the net with a header in each of the last two games! Similarly short of goals prior to last month, Saints midfielder Will Smallbone is in fine form away from home with a goal and an assist from the last two matches on the road.
Hot streak: Millwall scored prior to half-time in each of their last four league games, whilst Southampton did so in each of their most recent seven.