Millwall have lost one of their last six home matches
Birmingham have lost nine of 17 Championship away games
Recommended bet: Millwall
Millwall have held onto a top six position for the last seven weeks and will be aiming to solidify their playoff place by targeting a victory over in-form Birmingham at the Den.
Expectations have increased among the Millwall fanbase, so there was an understandable sense of disappointment from the majority who witnessed Saturday’s 3-1 loss at home to Portsmouth.
The Lions were deservedly beaten by relegation-threatened Pompey, who finished the game with more shots (15 to six) and a higher xG (1.22 to 0.42).
But Millwall have not suffered back-to-back defeats since December and will expect a stronger performance against Birmingham, who are potential rivals for a top six finish.
Birmingham have taken a while to adjust to life in the second tier, but they head to the capital on the crest of a wave.
Chris Davies’s side are on a ten-game unbeaten run (their longest of the season) and are seeking to complete a double over Millwall, who were vanquished 4-0 in last November’s reverse fixture.
The latest Millwall vs Birmingham odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Team news
Josh Coburn was unavailable due to illness over the weekend but is in contention for a return to the starting eleven. However, Will Smallbone (hamstring) is a doubt and Lukas Jensen (Achilles), Joe Bryan (toe), Dan Kelly (hamstring) and Massimo Luongo (knee) are unavailable. Mihailo Ivanovic could make way for Coburn at the tip of Millwall’s attack.
Paik Seung-Ho (shoulder) remains unavailable for Birmingham, so Tomoki Iwata and Jhon Solis should continue as the midfield pairing. No fresh injuries are reported but Alex Cochrane (ankle) and Lee Buchanan (knee) are long-term absentees.
The stats
Millwall have scored in each of their last nine matches, while they have lost just two of their last 11 league fixtures. The Lions have won three of their last four home games against Birmingham.
Four of Millwall’s last five home matches have featured at least three goals.
Birmingham have failed to score on three of their last five trips to Millwall.
Only one of Birmingham’s five Championship away wins was against a team inside the top half.
The latest Millwall vs Birmingham odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Millwall struggled to get going in Saturday’s defeat at home to Portsmouth, but they will be desperate to deliver a response and can inflict Birmingham’s first defeat since New Year’s Day.
Alex Neil’s side are at their best when they play a physical, high-tempo brand of football, and their direct approach can cause problems for the Blues, who have found life difficult when travelling to the better teams in the division.
Birmingham have picked up recent away wins at Sheffield Wednesday (2-0), Oxford (2-0) and Norwich (2-1), but they face a stern test in the capital and may struggle to secure any points.
Back Millwall at 5/4 with LiveScore Bet
The latest Millwall vs Birmingham odds are available on LiveScore Bet
