Neil Harris takes charge of Millwall for the final time this weekend, as his side make the long journey up north to take on Middlesbrough in the Championship.
Only six points separate the two teams in the standings, with Middlesbrough in seventh and the Lions in 13th position heading into this match.
Match preview
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Harris announced earlier in the week that the game against Michael Carrick's side would be the final match of his second permanent spell in charge of the club.
The news of his departure came as a big surprise to many, given his impressive performance since taking the job back in February.
Millwall were one point clear of the relegation zone when Harris took charge last season, but he guided them to a comfortable 13th-place finish, ensuring their survival in the division.
They find themselves in the same position heading into this weekend's action, and a win at Middlesbrough would help them edge closer to the playoff zone.
Having been on a nine-game unbeaten run in the league, Millwall suffered defeat at home to Coventry City last weekend, before another loss in midweek against league leaders Sheffield United.
Despite those recent defeats, their home form has been significantly better than their performances on the road, with the London club only winning once all season away from home – back in October against Swansea City.
It is unclear how the departure of Harris will impact Millwall's form for the rest of the season, but with the club eight points above the relegation zone, and seven points from the playoff places, their campaign could go either way from here.
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Meanwhile, the hosts fell out of the playoff places following their defeat at high-flying Leeds United on Tuesday evening.
That result, coupled with West Bromwich Albion's 2-0 victory over Coventry, meant that the Baggies leapfrogged Boro in the table into sixth.
After missing out on the playoffs by just four points last season, Middlesbrough find themselves firmly in the race for promotion once again this season.
Recent defeats against fellow promotion contenders Blackburn Rovers and Leeds, as well as a draw with Burnley, have somewhat dented the momentum that had been building at the club in the weeks leading up to those games.
Despite those setbacks, Boro had showcased their attacking prowess throughout November, with a 4-1 victory at Queens Park Rangers, a 5-1 win over Luton Town and a 6-2 triumph against Oxford United.
Since the win against Oxford, their only win in their past four games has been against Hull City, who currently sit bottom of the Championship table.
Carrick's side will try to bounce back from those recent results by making the most of their home advantage in the closing weeks of 2024.
Three of Boro's final four fixtures this year will be played at the Riverside Stadium, and having taken 17 points out of a possible 30 so far at home this year, they will have good reason to believe they can end the year on a high.
Team News
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The hosts will be without defenders Darragh Lenihan (ankle) and Tom Smith (Achilles), with both players expected to be back by the end of the month.
In more disappointing news for Carrick's side, Alex Bangura (Achilles) and Aidan Morris are out until at least January.
Meanwhile, the visitors have some long-term injury concerns with Jake Cooper (knee), Josh Coburn (foot) and Callum Scanlon (back) all out for the foreseeable future.
Elsewhere, both Daniel Kelly (ankle) and Shaun Hutchinson are expected to be out until at least January due to injuries.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Dieng; Borges, Edmundson, Fry, Dijksteel; Hackney, Barlaser, Burgzorg, Azaz, Doak; Conway
Millwall possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Bryan, Wallace, Tanganga, Leonard; Saville, De Norre, Esse, Honeyman, Azeez; Langstaff
We say: Middlesbrough 1-1 Millwall
Millwall will want to end the Harris era on a high and will move to within three points of Middlesbrough in the standings if they win at the Riverside Stadium this weekend.
Although Millwall will be motivated to get the three points, we think that this game ends in a draw - the visitors have more draws than wins so far this season and they are capable of getting a point on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Tom Humphrey
