Millwall under pressure

Millwall's replay at Ewood Park tomorrow evening promises to be a strength-sapping contest, if not a morale-sapping one before they roll into the Valley for what should be another tight local affair. Our home form would suggest they have as much chance of winning as we do and history would support that view too but they are low on league confidence and we don't usually play them three days after a big F A Cup tie, which they are now favourites to lose. The three points we picked up at Huddersfield mean it's not a "must-win" game for us and that may also lift us.

The Lions then face Leicester away next Friday in an 'ouch' match (I assume televised) before a few crucial fixtures against Birmingham, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Palace. They are a better side than most of those but something appears to have gone wrong at the Den. They are missing James Henry badly and he is out until next season. Chris Wood'd influence was obvious after he departed to Leicester and they also lost the Arsenal youngster who was on loan. Suddenly they look desperately short of goals (cue three against us) and that could prove pivotal. Kenny Jackett is a good manager who talks sense and he has managed situations like this at Millwall previously but if there is a bigger problem it may be terminal.

I won't cry if the Lions go down but I would much rather Palace stay down. The loss of Zaha should be pivotal wherever they are playing next season and if that lunk Murray were to move on, they would look distinctly more ordinary.