Seeking to boost their hopes of securing a Championship playoff place, Millwall will take on Birmingham City at St Andrew's on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts have won only one of their last five games on home soil, while the visitors have failed to win any of their last four matches on the road.

Match preview

Lee Bowyer's tenure as Birmingham City boss has reportedly come under threat following three successive league defeats in which they conceded 12 goals.

Their heaviest loss of the season came on Easter Monday when they were thrashed 6-1 away at fellow mid-table outfit Blackpool. Ivan Sunjic was on the scoresheet for the Blues, but his 63rd-minute strike was only a consolation as they were condemned to their 20th league defeat of the campaign.

Only Reading (48) have conceded more Championship goals in 2022 than Birmingham (40) and last weekend's result leaves them sitting 20th in the table, 15 points behind the top half.

Birmingham supporters expressed their frustration and made their voices heard at Bloomfield Road last time out, but hopes of watching their side return to winning ways on Saturday could prove challenging as the Blues have won only one of their last 10 league meetings against Millwall, a 2-0 away victory in November 2018.

Millwall claimed their third home victory in four matches when they beat Hull City 2-1 on Easter Monday, with goals from Scott Malone and Tom Bradshaw helping them secure all three points.

The Lions now have the second-best home record in the Championship this season having accumulated 42 points from 22 matches at The Den; only league leaders Fulham (43) have picked up more points on home soil.

Gary Rowett's men remain in the hunt for a playoff spot and Monday's win helped them move to within one point of sixth-placed Sheffield United with just three league games remaining.

While Millwall's home performances have been impressive, their away form has left little to be desired, as they have won only five of their 21 Championship games on the road this term.

Rowett – who was in charge of Birmingham between 2014 and 2016 – has won his last two games as a manager against his former club, winning both matches with Millwall by an aggregate scored of 5-1.

With favourable-looking fixtures against Birmingham and Peterborough United up next, the Lions will be confident of securing maximum points in both games and putting themselves in a strong position to make the playoffs.

Team News

Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong remains a doubt for Birmingham with a groin problem, while Teden Mengi (hamstring), Neil Etheridge (head), Matija Sarkic (shoulder) and Adan George (ACL) all remain on the sidelines.

Bowyer is expected to make changes following their heavy defeat last time out, with Maxime Colin, Jeremie Bela, Scott Hogan and Lukasz Jutkiewicz all pushing for a place in the starting lineup.

As for Millwall, Rowett has revealed that both Jed Wallace and Scott Malone are set to miss Saturday's game due to respective groin and hamstring injuries.

Mason Bennett remains doubtful with a leg injury, so Bradshaw, Benik Afobe and Tyler Burey could all retain their places in attack.

Oliver Burke, Ryan Leonard and Shaun Hutchinson, who all began the last game on the bench, will be hoping to force their way into the first XI this weekend.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Jeacock; Colin, Roberts, Gordon, Pedersen; James, Sunjic, Woods, Bela; Hogan, Jutkiewicz

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Ballard, Cooper, Hutchinson; McNamara, Mitchell, Saville, M. Wallace; Burey, Bradshaw, Afobe

We say: Birmingham City 0-2 Millwall

While the pressure will be on playoff-chasing Millwall to claim maximum points, there is also plenty of pressure on Birmingham, with their supporters desperate to see a response to their heavy defeat on Monday.

Millwall have fared better on home soil this season, but we can see them ending a four-game winless away run with victory over their out-of-form counterparts on Saturday.

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