Saints Face Millwall: Essential Match Preview

The new year brings an exciting clash as Southampton prepares to meet Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship. This match, taking place on January 1, 2026, at St Mary’s Stadium, marks the opening of 2026 for both teams.

Match Details

• Fixture: Southampton vs Millwall
• Competition: Sky Bet Championship
• Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026
• Kick-off time: 3 PM GMT

Match Officials

The officiating team for this fixture includes:

• Referee: Tom Nield
• Assistants: Simon Bennett, David Harrison
• Fourth Official: Neil Hair

Team Kits

Southampton will don their traditional red and white striped kits. In contrast, Millwall will wear their royal blue and white home colors.

Tickets and Live Coverage

A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase. Prices start at £30 for adults and £20 for juniors. Fans unable to attend can catch the match live on Sky Sports, with coverage commencing at 2:50 PM GMT.

Matchday Programme

The matchday programme can be purchased online or at St Mary’s. This edition features a cover by Saints fan James Willsher and includes an interview with head coach Tonda Eckert.

What’s at Stake?

After a mixed festive period, Southampton aims for a strong start to 2026. Securing three points against Millwall would be crucial for their aspirations. The Saints are unbeaten in their last five home matches, with recent strong performances.

Millwall, having secured a victory against Bristol City, will strive to enhance their playoff hopes on this trip to the south coast.

Team News

Southampton

Southampton enters the match with no new injury concerns. The squad remains consistent, with several key players still unavailable.

Millwall

Millwall is set to welcome back top scorer Femi Azeez following a three-game suspension. However, they will still miss several players due to injuries.

Coaches’ Insight

Tonda Eckert emphasized the need for improved set-pieces and defending against a competent Millwall side. Meanwhile, Millwall’s Alex Neil acknowledged their depleted squad but remains optimistic about their competitive style of play.

Key Players to Watch

• Elias Jelert: Recently returned, Jelert made an immediate impact with an assist and provides tactical depth at wing-back.
• Camiel Neghli: After scoring in Millwall’s latest match, Neghli is expected to be a pivotal figure in attack.

Top Scorers

Southampton

• Goals:
  • Armstrong – 11
  • Azaz – 6
  • Manning, Harwood-Bellis – 4
• Assists:
  • Armstrong – 4
  • Manning, Azaz, Fellows, Scienza – 3
  • Harwood-Bellis, Fraser – 2

Millwall

• Goals:
  • Azeez – 6
  • Ivanovic – 4
  • Crama, Cooper, Neghli, Leonard – 2
• Assists:
  • Ballo – 5
  • Emakhu, Doughty – 3
  • Crama, De Norre – 2

Recent Form

Southampton

• Drew against Birmingham (1-1)
• Lost to Oxford (1-2)
• Drew with Coventry (1-1)
• Lost to Norwich (1-2)
• Won against West Brom (3-2)

Millwall

• Won against Bristol City (2-1)
• Drew with Ipswich (0-0)
• Lost to Blackburn (0-2)
• Lost to Hull (1-3)
• Drew against Derby (1-1)

Head-to-Head Record

The competitive history between the two teams shows a close match-up:

• Played: 110
• Southampton Wins: 52
• Draws: 27
• Millwall Wins: 31

Final Thoughts

Fans are eagerly anticipating this New Year’s match as Southampton looks to make a statement against Millwall in the Championship. Stay connected for updates and exclusive content on El-Balad.