Preview: Millwall vs Ipswich Town – prediction, team news, lineups

Things are getting tasty in the Championship, and one of the juiciest fixtures on Boxing Day takes place at the Den as Millwall welcome Ipswich Town.

The Lions have lost ground in the battle for promotion following successive defeats, while the Tractor Boys are ramping up the pressure on the top two thanks to a recent run of victories.

Match preview

The festive period is meant to be one of joy, though that has not been the case for Millwall following a number of difficult challenges.

Firstly, the club have endured a significant dip in form, going three games without a win and losing their last two – including a 2-0 defeat away at Blackburn Rovers last time out.

To make matters worse, goalkeeper Lukas Jensen is set to spend months on the sidelines with a fresh injury, Joel Coleman and assistant coach Dave Livermore have both been charged for a fight at Bristol City, and to top it all off, the club have just lost their main shirt sponsor.

Problems are piling up for Alex Neil and his men, though the Lions remain in a competitive position in the standings, sitting just two points adrift of third-placed Ipswich and seven points behind the automatic promotion spots.

The London outfit went into the festive period on the back of three successive victories, and the Lions will be determined to rediscover that winning form – no matter how bleak their injury situation may look.

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Ipswich, on the other hand, are beginning to pile serious pressure on the top two after picking up their third victory in four games.

The Tractor Boys enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 win over relegation-bound Sheffield Wednesday, which allowed them to shake off a recent defeat to Leicester City and close the gap to second-placed Middlesbrough to just five points.

Recent victories over league leaders Coventry City and an improving Stoke City side have put Ipswich firmly in the mix for promotion, and another win on Friday would only boost their Premier League ambitions.

Aside from Coventry, Ipswich are the most dangerous team in the competition, having scored 38 goals across their 22 games. On top of that, the Tractor Boys boast one of the most impressive defensive records.

Kieran McKenna and his men will also be buoyed by their recent head-to-head record with Millwall, winning their last two meetings and smashing the Lions 4-0 at the Den back in February 2024.

Millwall Championship form:

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Ipswich Town Championship form:

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Team News

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Millwall were handed their latest injury blow this week, with Jensen set to return to the sidelines with a fresh problem.

The goalkeeper has been out of action since April due to an Achilles injury but was expected to make his return to the first team in the New Year.

However, while trying to build up his match fitness playing for the Under-21s, the 26-year-old hurt his quad and is now expected to miss months of action.

Things are not looking any better in other positions, especially in midfield, as Billy Mitchell was the only natural midfielder available for the game at Blackburn Rovers.

Looking at the current situation in the middle of the park, Luke Cundle has missed the last five games with a shoulder problem, Casper De Norre has picked up a recent calf injury, Massimo Luongo has been out since October, Derek Mazou-Sacko is nursing a knee problem, and William Smallbone is still dealing with his hamstring.

Forward Josh Coburn has also been out since October, carrying a muscle problem.

The injury situation is far less dramatic over at Ipswich, though McKenna is missing three players ahead of the trip to the capital.

Wes Burns has not played a competitive game since a Premier League clash with Liverpool almost a year ago.

Defender Harry Clarke has only played once this season, managing 16 minutes in a recent 1-0 win over Stoke before returning to the sidelines with his knee problem.

Conor Townsend, meanwhile, has not played a single minute of football this season as he continues to nurse a knee injury.

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Sturge, Cooper, Crama, McNamara; Doughty, Mitchell; Emakhu, Neghli, Ballo; Ivanovic

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Davis, Kipre, O’Shea, Furlong; Cajuste, Matusiwa; Philogene, Nunez, Egeli; Azon Monzon

We say: Millwall 1-2 Ipswich Town

The injury situation at Millwall is incredibly concerning, with the team missing several key players in the middle of the park.

Ipswich are on a roll, and we are expecting them to take all three points on Friday as their pursuit of Premier League football continues.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.