Millwall will begin life under the new management of Joe Edwards on Saturday, when they travel to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday.

Edwards inherits a Lions side who sit 18th in the Championship table on the back of a difficult run of form, while their hosts remain rooted to the foot of the division following a 1-0 defeat last weekend.

Match preview

Sheffield Wednesday will return to Hillsborough on Saturday aiming to rebound from their latest setback last time around, having failed to build on a first victory of the campaign after starting the Championship season with the division's longest winless streak.

After winning promotion through the League One playoffs last time around, the Owls had to wait until October for a first three-point haul, with Xisco Munoz leaving the Owls on just two points from their opening 10 games after his early October departure.

The Owls then appointed Danny Rohl during the international break last month to take the reins at Hillsborough, and he was unable to inspire an immediate turnaround, as their winless start extended to 13 games following away defeats to Watford and Plymouth Argyle, before they were finally able to put a first triumph on the board of the league campaign and under their new boss by beating South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United 2-0 on home turf thanks to Michael Smith's brace.

Hoping to build an improved run on the back of that result, having already been quickly cut adrift at the bottom of the division as a result of their dismal start, the South Yorkshire outfit most recently travelled to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City last weekend, but they faced a tough task following Barry Bannan's first-half red card and eventually succumbed to a 1-0 defeat as Rob Dickie netted the winning goal in the 64th minute.

Following their 11th league defeat of the season, the Owls now sit 24th on just six points, three behind 23rd-placed Queens Park Rangers and nine adrift of safety, and they will be desperate to improve their position in the fight for survival this term with a second straight home victory this weekend.

In their way stand a Millwall side who are also hoping to reverse their fortunes on Saturday as they begin a new era following the departure of Gary Rowett.

Rowett, who led the Lions for almost four years, saw his tenure come to an end during the October international break, as the London outfit sat on just 15 points from their opening 11 league outings.

Taking temporary charge on their return to action last month, Adam Barrett was unable to inspire an upturn in form, as they now head into the weekend in the midst of a five-game winless streak, having played out draws with Millwall and Watford either side of a home defeat to Blackburn Rovers, before they most recently fell short again at The Den, losing 1-0 at the hands of Southampton last weekend as Ryan Fraser netted the only goal of the game in the third minute of injury time.

Since that late heartbreak, the Millwall hierarchy have turned to Joe Edwards to take charge at The Den, and he inherits a side with just 17 points from 15 outings after only missing out on the playoffs on the final day of last season, with only three sides having scored fewer than their 15 goals thus far.

He will now look to kick off his tenure with a three-point haul at Hillsborough on Saturday, with the chance for the visitors to climb within touching distance of the top half if they are able to end their five-game wait for a victory.

Team News

Despite his sending off in the first half of their defeat to Bristol City last time out, Sheffield Wednesday will be able to call on key midfielder and captain Barry Bannan on Saturday, after they successfully appealed the red card with the suspension rescinded.

With Danny Rohl having switched to a 3-4-3 system, Bannan should again join George Byers in the engine room, while Dominic Iorfa, Bambo Diaby and Di'Shon Bernard are bound to line up in an unchanged back three in front of Cameron Dawson, who has got the nod over Devis Vasquez between the sticks since Rohl's appointment.

At the other end of the pitch, Michael Smith will again hope to lead the line despite competition from the likes of Ashley Fletcher and Lee Gregory, while Anthony Musaba is bound to keep his place in support of the lone striker with Djeidi Gassama hoping to again complete the front line in the absence of Josh Windass through injury.

In his first game as Millwall manager, Joe Edwards will be unable to call on goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, defender Joe Bryan and attacker Duncan Watmore, as the trio remain confined to the treatment room, with Bartosz Bialkowski continuing to deputise between the sticks in the absence of the former.

Several changes are anticipated from the meeting with Southampton last time out, with Kevin Nisbet fighting to come back in up front from the start, while Ryan Longman is also hoping for a spot on the wing, having both settled for substitute appearances last weekend.

Following a resolute display throughout that contest, the defence should remain unaltered, with Shaun Hutchinson again expected to settle for a place on the bench as Wes Harding and Jake Cooper continue their centre-back partnership, while Casper De Norre and George Saville will fight to keep their places in the engine room amid competition from Billy Mitchell and Allan Campbell.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Dawson; Iorfa, Diaby, Bernard; Paterson, Byers, Bannan, James; Gassama, Smith, Musaba

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; McNamara, Harding, Cooper, Wallace; De Norre, Saville; Longman, Flemming, Honeyman; Nisbet

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Millwall

Sheffield Wednesday certainly look improved under Rohl, with last week's trip to Ashton Gate perhaps only being settled by Bannan's red card, and returning to their home ground against a Millwall side in a rut of their own, we fancy the Owls to put a second league win of the season on the board.


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