Millwall welcome Watford to The Den on Saturday afternoon in a match that could have major implications at both ends of the Championship table.

It is third from bottom against third from top as the relegation-threatened hosts look to give their survival hopes an unexpected boost against the title-chasing visitors.

Millwall

Hopes of a great escape are growing amongst Millwall fans as the team appears to be hitting form at the perfect time.

The gap to safety is now seven points and, while the Lions still have an uphill struggle if they are to retain their Championship status, they have the priceless commodity of momentum behind them.

Good Friday's London derby victory over Charlton Athletic is exactly the type of result that so often proves to be the catalyst for struggling teams, with two goals in the last 11 minutes seeing Neil Harris's side come from behind to clinch three vital points.

They were aided in their cause by an early red card for the Addicks, but the result is the only important thing for a team in their position, and they are now unbeaten in three games - their longest run since October.

It was also their first win in 10, however, and Harris will be stressing the importance of backing it up this weekend. They have not won consecutive league games since the first two matches of the season and would be on the brink of relegation should they lose and Rotherham United pick up a result away to Middlesbrough.

Millwall's ace up their sleeve is a game in hand over the teams around them in the table, but they will need to come up with some surprise results if they are to utilise that to its full effect.

Four of their remaining six games come against teams currently in the top 10, while Tuesday's make-or-break showdown with fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic is their only upcoming match against a team in the bottom 11.

Victory over Watford would certainly fall under the category of surprise results, with the win over Charlton last time out just their second triumph in 19 matches against top-half opposition this season.

This is the second of three consecutive home games for Millwall, which makes that win over the Addicks even more important. They had gone 13 games without a victory at The Den before that and, even counting that triumph, have won just two in front of their own fans since August.

Only relegated Blackpool have scored fewer goals than Millwall this season, but four goals in their last two outings is certainly a marked improvement from just 10 in 19 games prior to that.

Recent form: LLLDDW

Watford

Goalscoring is not an issue for the visitors, who have averaged two per game from their 41 Championship outings this season.

The deadly duo of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo struck again to clinch a huge 2-0 victory over promotion rivals Middlesbrough in Easter Monday's early kickoff at Vicarage Road, a result that put the Hornets top of the table.

Wins for Bournemouth and Norwich City later in the day knocked Slavisa Jokanovic's side back out of the automatic promotion places, but the gap to the leaders is just one point with five matches remaining.

Defeat to Ipswich Town before the international break and a draw with Derby County on Good Friday hampered their bid somewhat, but they will be the favourites for many people to clinch a top-two spot given their run-in.

Nottingham Forest are the only remaining side in the top 11 for them to face, and it is likely to be the case that Millwall this Saturday are the only opponents left who have anything major to fight for in the closing stages of the season.

That will come as a major relief for Jokanovic, whose team's only three defeats in their last 16 matches have come against fellow promotion hopefuls.

They certainly have the goals to push them over the line and, looking further ahead, to hold their own in the Premier League should they reach the promised land. Deeney and Ighalo have 39 between them in the Championship this season, and that tally rises to 52 if you include Matej Vydra.

Deeney, who became the first Watford player in history to score 20-plus goals in three consecutive seasons with his strike against Middlesbrough, has been involved in more league goals than any other Championship player this calendar year (18), while Ighalo's tally of 15 goals scored in 2015 is the highest in the top four tiers of English football.

That has helped them to become the top scorers away from home in the league this season, and they are now unbeaten in six matches on the road, picking up 14 points from a possible 18 in that time.

Recent form: DWWLDW

Team News

Both managers are likely to keep changes to a minimum following big wins last time out, but Vydra will be hoping for a recall for the visitors.

In-form Deeney and Ighalo are expected to maintain their prolific partnership, while Fernando Forestieri is a doubt.

Joel Ekstrand remains a long-term absentee, but Marco Motta is available once again following suspension.

Millwall also have a man returning from a ban as Alan Dunne completed his spell on the sidelines against Charlton, although he may struggle to get back into a winning team.

Indeed, with no new injury concerns, Harris could name an unchanged side for the visit of the Hornets.

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Forde; Cummings, Hooiveld, Nelson, Harding; Williams, Abdou, Upson, O'Brien, Woolford; Gregory

Watford possible starting lineup:
Gomes; Paredes, Cathcart, Angella, Pudil; Watson, Guedioura, Tozser, Anya; Ighalo, Deeney

Head To Head

Watford were forced to come from behind in the reverse fixture at the start of November, but they eventually ran out comfortable 3-1 winners at Vicarage Road.

Millwall have lost six and won just one of the last nine league meetings between these two sides, failing to even score in half of the last six.

However, Watford have failed to win on their last two visits to The Den, last doing so in January 2012 when Deeney was among the scorers in a 2-0 win.

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We say: Millwall 1-3 Watford

Millwall's belief would have grown with their win over Charlton last time out, but they are unfortunate to run into an in-form Watford side. Both clubs are in need of the three points, but the visitors are too big a threat in attack to ignore against a team with as poor a defensive record as Millwall.