Leeds will hope to build on the good performance against Burnley last week game and end our run of defeats, but it won’t be easy against a Millwall side who are badly in need of a few ponts themselves.

Brian McDermott told the official site “We have had a good week training and everyone has trained really well. It’s an important game that we are really looking forward to. The short term plan is to win games, we need to start winning games If we put on performances like we did against Burnley we will start winning games. “

The one new injury doubt is Rudy Austin, who is struggling to shake off a knock and will undergo a fitness test before kick off. And some fold will be glad to know that Jimmy Kebe now has a hamstring problem after the illness that kept him out against Reading and Burnley, though McDermott has said that he would have dropped him for the last two games in any case.

At least Leeds don’t appear to be in any danger of relegation despite our poor form, as a cushion of 12 points above the relegation zone should be enough as long as we don’t go into administration. But that can’t be said of Millwall, who are now third bottom and deep in trouble. While they are only below Charlton on goal difference, their local rivals have three games in hand, while 20th placed Doncaster are five points better off.

So McDermott is expecting the Lions to give us a tough game. “They are scrapping. They are trying to get themselves out of trouble so that is what you’d expect. Millwall went to Derby and won 1-0 earlier this month and they drew their last game 0-0 as well so that shows that they are tight and are difficult to play against. They have got a fantastic manager there who has a fantastic track record”.

And Ian Holloway sounded defiant as he told the official Millwall site “We will go to Leeds looking for the win that would represent the perfect start to a big week for us. After that we have two homes games, the first of which is against another of the sides around us, Birmingham City, and potentially we could drag them into the battle. We have to get on a winning run, and if we can win two or three this week we'll give ourselves every chance of getting out of the relegation zone."

But the South-East London mob will have quite a few players absent, as Shaun Williams is suspended after his 10th yellow card of the season against Charlton last week, while Danny Shittu has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury. Lee Martin (knee), Richard Chaplow (Achilles) and Jermaine Easter (thigh) and Nicky Bailey (back) are all out, but Jimmy Abdou could be recalled after recovering from illness.

Last season there were fewer than 200 Millwall fans at the game due to the various restrictions, and they will again have to collect their match tickets from a motorway service station, which is useless for anyone who wanted to use public transport. A statement on their official site said “Millwall Football Club will continue to negotiate for a return to normal ticketing arrangements going forward, and hopefully another incident free match on March 22 will help further our cause.” At least the kick- off is back to 3pm this time, which is one thing fewer to moan about.

I think that Leeds will break the losing run with by winning in this game, but only by the odd goal.

Photo: Action Images

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