Millwall’s next home opponents, Derby County, showed the kind of defensive resilience that will concern the Lions after securing a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United despite playing with ten men. The result at Bramall Lane on Tuesday keeps Derby in the Championship’s bottom three, intensifying the stakes for their trip to The Den this Saturday. Millwall, currently 13th in the Championship with 15 points from a record of four wins, three draws and five losses, will host Derby on Saturday 31 October.

Bobby Clark gave the Rams an early lead before Dion Sanderson’s second yellow card in the 57th minute forced them into a rearguard action for the final 33 minutes of the match. Sheffield United’s equaliser came from Patrick Bamford, but Derby goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was the hero with two outstanding saves in stoppage time to preserve the point. Manager John Eustace told reporters afterwards that his side’s performance, in the face of an injury-hit squad, deserved more.

Derby's survival battle

Derby remain 23rd in the table with just one point from their opening match, a position that frames every game as a survival scrap. Eustace, in his second full season, guided the club to safety last term and has backing from pundits to handle the current storm, though a hoped-for summer takeover did not materialise. Their next challenge is the visit to 13th-placed Millwall at The Den on Saturday, 31 October, with a subsequent trip to eighth-placed Stoke City to follow.

Millwall's mixed form

Millwall enter the fixture sitting 13th with 15 points from 12 games, their recent form reading one win, two draws and two defeats from the last five. They were beaten 2-1 at Portsmouth last time out on Saturday 24 October, a result that leaves them ten points behind league leaders Middlesbrough. The Lions have scored 19 goals this season but have conceded 20, giving them a negative goal difference. Their top scorer this season is Lyndon Dykes, who has four goals this season, to exploit a Derby defence that has conceded heavily on the road. In that recent defeat at Portsmouth, Jenson Metcalfe scored Millwall's goal in the sixth minute before an own goal and a late Portsmouth winner. Prior to that, they drew 2-2 at home to Lincoln on Saturday 17 October, with goals from Kyrell Lisbie and Jake Cooper.

Manager Joe Edwards has been working to implement a more progressive style of play, but inconsistency has been a theme. The club's board has publicly stated its support for Edwards, acknowledging the project is a long-term one, but pressure is mounting for a return to winning ways at home. The last meeting between the sides at The Den ended in a 1-0 victory for Millwall back in March. With Derby desperate for points and Millwall aiming to climb the table, the stage is set for a tense Championship encounter under the lights in Bermondsey this weekend.

Read the full report at The Star