Sunderland are to reunite with another former manager on Saturday, welcoming Alex Neil and his Millwall side to the Stadium of Light.
The March international break is just about over and with that comes the return of club football, after what feels like a long two weeks off.
Regis Le Bris will have used this break to his advantage: Sunderland lost 3-0 at Coventry City before the break in a game that really highlighted the players’ need for a break ahead of the run in.
Sunderland remain in 4th place of the Championship table compared to the Lions in 11th, who are just six points behind Tony Mowbray’s West Brom in 6th.
Millwall appointed Alex Neil in December. The Scot was the man to finally guide Sunderland out of League One, doing so in 2022 but leaving for Stoke City soon after what was a strong start to the 2022/23 Championship season with Sunderland.
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Sam Parkin shares intriguing Sunderland vs Millwall score prediction
Speaking on the Championship Check In ahead of the weekend, Sam Parkin has given his prediction for the game between Sunderland and Millwall, and he’s made some comments that won’t go down too well with Le Bris with regards to Sunderland’s chances of finishing in the top six this season.
Despite having a 12 point cushion within the play-offs, Le Bris spent a good bit of time in his last press conference, before the Coventry City game, insisting that Sunderland are not in the clear yet – far from it. But Parkin says Sunderland finishing in the play-offs is an ‘inevitability’ as he backs Millwall to take a point from the game on Saturday.
He says: “It’s a test I think, for the manager, to keep them at it. It’s a difficult predicament because you’ve got so long now until the play-offs, and it is an inevitability [Sunderland finishing inside the top six], so keeping the wins coming is going to be tough in the weeks ahead.
“Talking myself into it, Millwall to get something… 1-1.”
Sunderland record vs Millwall
Sunderland are yet to face the Lions under Neil. The Black Cats’ last played them at The Den back in November, with Sunderland and Millwall drawing 1-1 with the now Millwall striker Aaron Connolly on the scoresheet for the Black Cats that day.
Alarmingly, Sunderland have only beaten Millwall once since 2004 and only twice since the turn of the Millennium.
In five Championship games against the Lions since Sunderland’s return to the second tier in 2022, the Black Cats have won just once, drawing three and loading one, with their only win against Millwall coming back in December 2022 on Wearside.
Last time the two teams met at the Stadium of Light, Millwall left with all three points, winning the game 1-0 in April 2024.
Kick off on Saturday is at 3pm.