Millwall Football Club can achieve a historic start to the Championship season with a victory at Southampton this Saturday. A win would mark the first time in 36 years the Lions have won their opening three league games, a feat last accomplished in the 1990-91 campaign. This key statistic was highlighted in a recent report from the BBC.
Millwall enter the 3pm BST kick-off at St Mary's in strong form, having beaten Bristol City and Norwich City by a combined 5-0 scoreline. They have never before opened a league season with three wins and three clean sheets. The club finished a strong third in the Championship last season, amassing 83 points from 24 wins, 11 draws and 11 losses, and they begin this term 12 points behind early leaders Coventry in the final 2025 standings.
Can Millwall break Southampton's home fortress?
Southampton present a formidable obstacle, as they are unbeaten in their past 11 Championship home games. Their last defeat at St Mary's was a 2-1 loss to Hull City on 17 January. The Saints' last longer unbeaten home league run was a 24-game streak between December 2010 and December 2011. Millwall's recent record against Southampton offers some hope, however. The Lions took at least four points from the Saints last season, joining Hull City, Bristol City and Middlesbrough as the only Championship sides to do so.
Neil Harris's side beat Southampton 3-2 at The Den and secured a 0-0 draw away on New Year's Day. Overall, Millwall have won two of the past three league meetings between the sides, with one draw. This represents a significant shift from their historical record, where they managed just one win in 11 league games against Southampton between 1988 and 2023.
Who are the key threats for Southampton?
The main danger for the hosts is Canadian striker Cyle Larin. Since his Championship debut on 7 February, Larin has scored 10 goals in 18 games. No player has scored more in the division since that date, and he averages a goal every 100 minutes. Containing him will be vital for a Millwall defence that will be without several key players. The current injury list, which you can view on our injuries page, includes A. Doughty, M. Ivanovic, R. Leonard, D. Mazou-Sacko, M. Servais, and F. Azeez.
What does this match mean for the season ahead?
For Millwall, this is a chance to lay down a serious early marker. Achieving a third straight win would provide immense confidence ahead of a busy period. Their next fixture is a home game against Wrexham, who are seventh in the table, on 2 September. You can see the full schedule on our fixtures page. The club scored 64 goals and conceded 49 last season for a +15 goal difference, and they will look to build on that attacking output.
A positive result at St Mary's would also reinforce the progress made last season, where they finished just outside the automatic promotion places. It would demonstrate an ability to compete with and beat teams expected to be near the top of the standings. The match represents a classic clash of Millwall's current momentum against Southampton's entrenched home strength, with a slice of history on the line for the visitors.
