Fulham host Millwall in the Championship on Tuesday evening.
Fulham currently sit in 1st place of the Championship table. Marco Silva’s side were in action away at Manchester City in the FA Cup yesterday, losing the game 4-1.
Millwall meanwhile will go into Tuesday’s game on the back of a week-long break, with their last outing come against Preston North End at the start of the month.
The Lions held Preston to a goalless draw. Gary Rowett’s side find themselves in 15th place of the Championship table and with just one win from their last five league outings.
Heading to Craven Cottage in midweek, it’ll be a tall order for Millwall to take anything from the game. But Rowett has insisted that his side will prepare for the trip like any other – he told London News Online:
“We’ll approach the game like any other game. At home we got caught a little bit up the pitch. They have got that pace and that quality and those goalscorers to try and punish any mistake that you make.
“From a defensive point of view you have to get it spot on. But you also have to give them a problem the other way. Like we found with Bournemouth at home, these are not the sort of games where you can sit back and lock the game up.”
Fulham have certainly been the Championship’s standout side this season. But Marco Silva’s men aren’t without their faults – they’ve had patches of inconsistency this season, and one could well be on the horizon after their 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool in their last league outing.
The draw halted a run of four-straight wins in the league for Fulham, coming off the back of a five-game winless run.
“You have to be proactive and find ways to hurt them offensively and with the players we’ve got – the likes of Oli Burke and Luke Freeman coming into the group with Jed [Wallace] back – we can hurt any team in this division,” Rowett continued.
And like how Fulham have their flaws, Millwall have their strengths. Rowett welcomed both Oli Burke and Luke Freeman on loan from Sheffield United last month, and managed to keep hold of Jed Wallace who was wanted by Nottingham Forest.
The Lions have struggled this season but they could have an improved second half of the campaign after making some positive moves in January.
“We’ll look to find the right balance,” Rowett said. “But I said it at the time, I think they are the best team in the division. We’ll have to be at our best to get a result. These are the sort of challenges you enjoy as a team.
“Often our team will step up and perform to a better level. We like these kind of games but we’re respectful they are tough opponents.”
It’s important that Millwall don’t show Fulham too much respect on Tuesday. Silva’s side have the capability to blow away any side within the Championship and with 74 goals to their name in 28 league outings, Millwall could be in for a long evening.
But they’re not unbeatable. Millwall have some strong names in their side who could do a lot of damage to Fulham.
The game kicks off at 7:45pm on Tuesday evening.