Millwall will be hoping to make it two wins from two matches at the start of the new Championship season when they welcome Bristol City to The Den on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions recorded an impressive victory away at Middlesbrough on the opening day of the 2023-24 term, whilst Bristol City shared the spoils with Preston North End at Ashton Gate.

Match preview

It has been a very mixed start to the new campaign for Millwall, with Gary Rowett's men picking up three points in the league before being dumped out of the EFL Cup.

Substitute Romain Esse bagged the only goal of the contest at the Riverside Stadium last weekend as the Lions commenced their second-tier term with a maximum, although just three days later League One Reading produced a remarkable display at The Den.

A strong-looking Millwall side were smashed 4-0 at home against third-tier opposition on Tuesday, with a brace from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan alongside strikes by Charlie Savage and Mamadi Camara booking the Royals a deserved place in round two.

Millwall will be looking to put that cup exit behind them on Saturday with a solid performance against Bristol City - a side who have failed to win on any of their previous three visits to The Den.

The Lions' push towards the playoffs last term was built on their impressive home form, with Rowett's men collecting 39 points from 23 matches in front of their own supporters in the 2022-23 campaign.

Bristol City are targeting an unlikely assault on the top six this season, and that quest got off to a respectable start last Saturday as Nigel Pearson's side drew 1-1 at home to Preston.

Samuel Bell put the Robins ahead just after the half-time interval, but the hosts at Ashton Gate were unable to hold on for a maximum as former Wigan Athletic man Will Keane bagged a late equaliser on his competitive debut for the Lilywhites.

A much-changed City XI were back in action on Wednesday night in the EFL Cup against Oxford United, with new signing Jason Knight scoring a brace as Pearson's charges put five past their third-tier opposition to book a place in round two.

With Alex Scott's move to Premier League side Bournemouth being confirmed on Thursday, it will be interesting to see how much of the 19-year-old's £22m transfer fee is used to bolster the Robins' squad before the window shuts later this month.

Pearson's men face three second-tier outings in their next four league matches before the international break, with trips to Millwall, Hull City and Swansea City all to come within the next few weeks.

Team News

Millwall are expected to revert to the XI which won at Middlesbrough last weekend following a heavy defeat to Reading in the week, meaning Kevin Nisbet and Duncan Watmore should return to their respective starting berths.

Tom Bradshaw bagged 17 goals for the Lions last season as they finished ninth, but the former Walsall man is currently being kept on the bench by Nisbet and Zian Flemming.

Matija Sarkic made the switch from Wolverhampton Wanderers last week and kept his first clean sheet at the Riverside Stadium - the Montenegro international is set to be his side's first-choice goalkeeper this term ahead of Pole Bartosz Bialkowski.

Bristol City are low on numbers in defensive areas due to the absence of centre-back Robert Atkinson, with the 25-year-old set to be sidelined until October as he continues to recover from a cruciate ligament injury.

Austrian Andreas Weimann is a doubt for Saturday's clash in the capital, with the midfielder suffering a heel injury which forced him off after just 20 minutes in the draw against Preston last weekend.

Harry Cornick ended his six-year association with Luton Town to link up with the Robins to the 2023-24 campaign, and the winger should start alongside Bell and Nahki Wells in the visitors' forward line.

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Sarkic; Hutchinson, Cooper, Wallace; McNamara, Mitchell, De Norre, Watmore, Byran; Flemming, Nisbet

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring; Knight, James, Williams; Cornick, Bell, Wells

We say: Millwall 2-1 Bristol City

Millwall have shown their best and worst sides over the past week, but they have a good chance to amend for their EFL Cup exit as they face Bristol City on Saturday.

The Robins will officially begin life without Scott at the Den this weekend, and we believe that Pearson's men will taste defeat for the first time this season.


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