SM
Watford vs. Leeds: 9 hrs 37 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
SL
Championship | Gameweek 39
Mar 19, 2022 at 3pm UK
bet365 Stadium
ML

Stoke
2 - 0
Millwall

Brown (19'), Saville (70' og.)
Tymon (56'), Brown (65'), Thompson (84')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Ballard (85')

Preview: Stoke City vs. Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Stoke City vs. Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Stoke City and Millwall, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Millwall make the trip to the bet365 Stadium to face Stoke City on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their unbeaten Championship streak to nine matches.

At a time when the Lions sit just two points adrift of the playoffs, Stoke are down in 16th position with manager Michael O'Neill under pressure to keep his job at the Potters.


Match preview

For a long time during his reign, O'Neill has looked to be the perfect fit for Stoke, the Northern Irishman being provided with the patience required to put everything in place to deliver promotion to the Premier League.

However, despite possessing a talented group of players and being given the licence to shake up his squad in January, Stoke have nose-dived out of the promotion race.

Since the turn of the year, 11 points have been collected from 14 games, the fact that only Reading and Peterborough United possess worse returns highlighting how badly Stoke have been performing.

Their current Championship winless streak stands at eight matches, and Stoke have let slip a lead in five of those games, the latest occurrence at Cardiff City earlier this week.

Although O'Neill can take some positives from his team not conceding more than twice in any of their last 11 outings, he knows that only a miraculous upturn in results will keep him in the Potters dugout.

In sharp contrast, there was a time earlier in the season where Gary Rowett's Millwall squad appeared to be heading nowhere given a constant standing of mid-table.

That has now changed and as the form team in the division since February 12, the Lions will have total belief that they can now gatecrash the playoff spots.

Millwall ended Huddersfield Town's lengthy Championship unbeaten streak on Wednesday, a double from Benik Afobe earning a 2-0 victory at The Den.

While the East Londoners have only netted 10 times in eight matches, they have conceded just twice, their current run of clean sheets standing at five games.

Only Fulham and Bournemouth possess better defensive records this season, and Rowett will recognise that none of their rivals will fancy playing them in the playoffs should they participate in the end-of-season shootout.

Stoke City Championship form:
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • L

Stoke City form (all competitions):
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • L

Millwall Championship form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • W

Team News

Having changed tactics and personnel for the game at Cardiff, O'Neill must decide whether to persevere with at least one of the two for this contest.

A quick turnaround is more likely to lead to squad rotation, Mario Vrancic and Josh Maja both alternatives in midfield and attack respectively.

Tommy Smith is pushing for a return at right-back after a spell on the sidelines, but the defender may be the only player to be removed from the list of sidelined players.

Barring any injury issues, Rowett will see no reason to make changes to the team which started the meeting with Huddersfield.

Sheyi Ojo has recently made a welcome return to the substitutes' bench after two months out, and Tom Bradshaw is also pushing to be named among the replacements.

Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Bonham; Wilmot, Chester, Harwood-Bellis, Fox; Baker, Allen, Vrancic; Brown, Maja, Tymon

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Ballard, Cooper, Wallace; McNamara, Mitchell, Saville, Malone; Wallace, Bennett; Afobe


We say: Stoke City 1-2 Millwall

With O'Neill potentially being at the point of no return, he will surely instruct his side to attack their opponents on Saturday. Nevertheless, that will not necessarily trouble a well-drilled Millwall side, and we are backing the visitors to fight their way to a narrow win.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data




body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__480954 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-03-18 21:27:43:
html db last update - 2022-03-17 10:12:05 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Saturday's Championship predictions including Bournemouth vs. Derby
Liverpool 'resigned to missing out on top managerial candidate'
Gary O'Neil to snub any offer from Manchester United?
Fluminense president claims Chelsea defender will leave club this summer
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Man City quoted £86m for "exceptional" Newcastle man?

1

MC

Key Man City duo miss training ahead of Arsenal title clash

2

KM

Fluminense president claims Chelsea defender will leave club this summer

NEW

3

FP

Mainoo, Rashford, Palmer handed boost in Euro 2024 hopes?

4

MR

Preview: Waalwijk vs. Heerenveen - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PW

Arsenal 'optimistic over triple injury boost for Man City clash'

6

A'

Preview: Barcelona vs. Las Palmas - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PB

Man City injury, suspension list vs. Arsenal - De Bruyne, Stones and more

8

MC

Preview: Chelsea vs. Burnley - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PC

How Chelsea could line up against Burnley

10

HC


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .