Can Millwall keep their recent run of promising form going at the bet365 Stadium this Saturday against Stoke City? They will need to stop the goals flying in from the hosts, if so, but do they have what it takes to get a result here?
We’ve reviewed all the possibilities and given our two cents ahead of this one below.
How the bookies view it: Stoke slight favourites
Stoke might be lower in the table than Millwall as we approach Saturday’s game, but the bookies actually have the hosts as favourites for the win. Looking at the latest odds, Stoke City are priced at 6/4 for the win compared with 9/5 for Millwall. This shows that there isn’t much in it, but the odds certainly reflect how prolific Stoke’s scoring has been at home this season!
Head-to-head: Millwall magic on several occasions
As we check out historical encounters between Stoke and Millwall, it’s the London side with bragging rights. In fact, three of the last five have been played at the bet365 Stadium, and Stoke has emerged victorious on just one of those three occasions. As for Millwall’s performances, they’ve beaten Stoke in three of the last five meetings – keeping clean sheets in all three of those victories!
Players to watch: Thomas Cannon and Duncan Watmore
One of the reasons Stoke might be quietly confident ahead of this game is that they have Thomas Cannon in their ranks! Stoke’s number 9 has produced quality football all season, and he has netted 6 goals in just 10 appearances. Therefore, Stoke will look to exercise his talents in this game to get the win.
That said, while Stoke have a bit of a magic man in the squad, Millwall has a few stars of their own. One of the brightest of these stars is Duncan Watmore, who has now scored 5 goals in 13 appearances this season. Watmore has been particularly useful on the road, too, hence we will watch him closely on Saturday.
Predicted lineups
At this point in the season, Stoke have been pretty lucky since their only problematic absence relates to Ben Pearson. The rest of the top boys are fit and performing well. As for Millwall, with four straight wins in the league, besides previous absences covering long term injuries, we don’t expect any changes at all.
Stoke possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Tchamadeu, Phillips, Gibson, Stevens; Seko, Burge; Manhoef, Moran, Bae; Cannon
Millwall possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Leonard, Hutchinson, Tanganga, Wallace; De Norre, Saville; Esse, Honeyman, Azeez; Langstaff
Anything else catch the eye?
Although Stoke have been particularly useful in home fixtures this season, they are facing one of the most in form teams in the league on Saturday. Millwall have snapped up four consecutive wins in the league, and they’ve kept some top level teams at bay to secure several clean sheets.
It’s also worth noting that the last five meetings between these teams have all seen fewer than 2.50 goals scored. So, while Stoke City’s impressive scoring record at home this season is a key statistic, the historical results involving these two paints a different picture.
This England Championship match between Stoke and Millwall will be played on Nov 9, 2024 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Stoke vs Millwall prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.