- Team form: Stoke are unbeaten in three home games, picking up two wins and a draw, including a 2-0 success against Sheffield Wednesday in their last home game.
- Away form: Millwall have lost only four of their 21 away games in the Championship, winning ten and drawing seven, including a 0-0 draw at West Brom in their last away game.
- Head-to-head: Millwall are unbeaten in five recent meetings with Stoke, winning three times in that sequence.
Ruthless Lions may prove too strong for The Potters
Stoke and Millwall will be tricky to separate in what will be a classic tactical battle between two good Championship sides on Tuesday, but the visitors have a better record on the road and a slight preference could be for the Lions to get another away win. The hosts sit 16th in the Championship table after collecting 55 points from as many games as third-placed Millwall, who have accumulated 73.
The form of the two teams has been mixed of late, but the evidence from their head-to-head record over the past few years points to the visitors being the more likely winners on Tuesday. Stoke have failed to win either of their last two home games against the Lions, who have beaten them 2-0 in the Championship, at home, five months ago.
Sorba Thomas can unlock a stubborn defence
Tactical approaches
Mark Robins has got Stoke playing his brand of pragmatic, transition soccer well, which involves setting up in numbers to defend compactly before unleashing their full backs into wide areas to create. They are usually pretty solid in their defensive block and can be dangerous in transition, but may not be as physical as Millwall.
Alex Neil’s side are a tough, direct team that is relentless in their work rate, high pressing approach and aerial dominance. They create plenty from second balls and have some quality on set play, particularly from corners.
Key players
- Lions striker Josh Coburn has been particularly impressive of late, scoring three times in his last five appearances and contributing to half of the goals Millwall have scored in that period.
- However, top scorer Mihailo Ivanovic is the man to watch for the away side, with his nine goals from 40 appearances in the Championship so far providing the focal point of the attack.
- Sorba Thomas is Stoke’s top marksman with ten from 41 appearances, so should be a threat down the wing.
Millwall more likely to win
Millwall are the superior side and have the away record to prove it, having averaged 1.29 goals per game on the road and conceded only 1.05. The odds of 2.43 on Millwall winning again look good enough to take given the strength of their campaign and recent dominance over Stoke.
This will be a match decided in the midfield and in the aerial battles on set pieces, where Millwall’s power should make the difference.
