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

Two sides in completely contrasting form face off at The Den on Saturday afternoon as top-six chasing Millwall host fourth-placed Swansea City.

Millwall have won three games in a row to climb up the table, while Swansea are looking over their shoulder after losing four in a row.

Match preview

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Millwall's slim playoff hopes looked to be dead and buried after losing 3-2 to Queens Park Rangers three weeks ago, a result that left them 12 points off the top six.

Since then, though, they have overcome Middlesbrough, Rotherham United and Stoke City, moving them to within eight points off sixth-placed Reading - a far from insurmountable gap.

Murray Wallace and Mason Bennett were on target either side of Jacob Brown's temporary equaliser to earn the Lions' latest three-point haul at Stoke on Monday.

Gary Rowett's side are now seeking a fourth league win in a row for the first time since March 2018, knowing that anything less will surely kill off their promotion hopes.

Swansea's bad patch of form has come at the worst possible time, with the Welsh side failing to put any points on the board from their last four games.

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That is as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 24 league matches, winning 15 of those to earn widespread plaudits.

Furthermore, they have failed to find the back of the net in those losses to Bournemouth, Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Preston North End.

The Swans' luck appears to have run out, having conceded added-time goals in their last two matches, the latest being a Matt Grimes own goal in the loss to Preston.

Steve Cooper's men were good value for a top-two spot last month, but now they will be happy to simply finish in the playoffs.

The gap on seventh-placed Bournemouth is four points, and the Cherries also have a game in hand to play, so it is vital City bring an end to their terrible run this weekend.

Team News

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Millwall received a blow earlier this week as Rowett confirmed that Shaun Hutchinson will miss the rest of the season with an injury sustained against Rotherham.

Alex Pearce slotted into the back three against Stoke and will retain his place on Saturday, while Maikel Kieftenbeld will be eyeing up a return in central midfield.

Kenneth Zohore and Bennett started up top last time out, but Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is an option to come into the side this weekend.

As for Swansea, Cooper has to work out how to get more out of his misfiring forwards.

Wayne Routledge and Yan Dhanda were second-half substitutes in the defeat to Preston and may be considered for a starting spot here.

Aston Villa loanee Conor Hourihane scored four goals in his first seven appearances for the Swans, but he has since netted just one in his last nine.

The Republic of Ireland international will still likely start at The Den, though, with Grimes and Jay Fulton the favourites to get the nod alongside him.

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; M.Wallace, Pearce, Cooper; McNamara, Evans, J.Wallace, Mitchell, Malone; Bennett, Bodvarsson

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Roberts, Cabango, Guehi, Manning; Fulton, Grimes, Hourihane; Routledge, Ayew, Lowe

We say: Millwall 1-1 Swansea City

Going by form alone, this is a game that in-form Millwall will feel confident of winning against out-of-form Swansea.

It is surely just a matter of time before the Swans click back into gear, however, and they are without defeat in four trips to The Den, so we are backing them to claim a point.