This Week's Opposition: Millwall

Jake Smith takes a closer look at Pompey's midweek Championship opponents at Fratton Park.

Following the postponement of Saturday’s trip to Blackburn, Pompey’s 16th Championship match of the season now comes against Millwall at Fratton Park, where the 2 sides met back in August in the First Round of the Carabao Cup.

It was the visitors who progressed on that day, winning 1-0 thanks to a first half Romain Esse strike.

We take a closer look now at The Lions ahead of the midweek meeting at PO4…

MANAGER

Millwall are led by 47-year-old Neil Harris, who has been at the helm since signing an 18-month contract back in February.

This is Harris’ 2nd spell as permanent manager of the club and under his stewardship at the back end of last season, Millwall picked up 26 points from 13 games and finished 13th.

The Lions were in 21st position and just 1 point above the relegation zone when he took over.

ONE TO WATCH

19-year-old Romain Esse scored against the Blues back in August and he will undoubtedly be a player they’ll want to keep quiet, however our One To Watch on this occasion is his attacking midfield partner Josh Coburn.

The 21-year-old, who also wears the number 21 on the back of his shirt, has started in each of The Lions’ last 3 fixtures since coming off the bench to play the final 15 minutes of a 1-0 win over Burnley at the start of November.

That cameo came after 7 matches out with a groin injury and since his return, he has scored 1 goal and put in 3 decent performances.

Coburn is on loan from Championship rivals Middlesbrough and was on the bench at the Riverside Stadium in the 2-2 draw with Portsmouth back in August, however didn’t make it on the pitch.

TOP SCORER

At this stage of the season, Millwall’s leading scorer is 30-year-old winger Duncan Watmore.

The former Sunderland man has bagged 5 league goals since the start of the campaign but has blanked in each of his last 8 appearances, last finding the back of the net in a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers on the 21st of September.

If you’re at the game, keep an eye out for Watmore wearing the number 19 shirt.

CURRENT FORM

2 defeats and a draw from their opening 3 league fixtures saw Millwall struggling at the foot of the table in the early stages of the season, however Neil Harris’ side now occupy 8th position.

The Lions are just 2 points off the Play-Off places thanks to a recent run of 8 games unbeaten, recording 4 wins and 4 draws since their last defeat away at Cardiff on October the 1st.

Can Pompey follow up on their win over Preston last time out and take a step closer to climbing out of the relegation zone?

Tune in for full coverage of Portsmouth vs Millwall in the Championship with Jake Smith, Pepe Lacey and James Wilson from 7pm on Wednesday the 27th of November here on Express FM. The Pompey Live team will be on hand with pre-match build-up, half-time analysis and post-game reaction LIVE from Fratton Park.

Kick-off: 7:45pm!