Bristol City vs Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups

Bristol City and Millwall kick disconnected their 2026-27 Championship campaigns with a gathering astatine Ashton Gate connected Saturday afternoon.

The Robins statesman the caller play nether Michael Skubala aft finishing 12th successful the Championship past clip out, portion the Lions volition beryllium looking to enactment their playoff heartbreak down them aft losing to Hull City successful May.

Match preview

After being led by Gerhard Struber and past erstwhile Liverpool and England brag Roy Hodgson past season, Bristol City volition beryllium hoping for much consistency nether erstwhile Lincoln City brag Skubala, who precocious guided the Imps to the League One title.

The Robins person followed a wide transportation strategy this summer, bringing successful immoderate of the standout performers from League One successful Sam Tickle, Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard.

Tickle arrives aft keeping 13 cleanable sheets for a struggling Wigan Athletic broadside past season, portion Tolaj finished arsenic League One's fourth-highest scorer and Ballard claimed the third-tier Golden Boot.

The arrivals of Sam Greenwood and Rio Cardines person besides strengthened different areas of the squad, with Bristol City hoping to physique different situation for the playoff places aft reaching the apical six 2 seasons agone nether Liam Manning.

Skubala enjoyed an encouraging pre-season, with the Robins losing conscionable doubly successful 7 matches, including a 4-1 triumph implicit Newcastle United successful Eddie Howe's last crippled arsenic manager.

They have, however, endured a disappointing commencement to the competitory run aft suffering a shock EFL Cup decision to League Two broadside Walsall conscionable implicit a week ago.

As for Alex Neil's Millwall, they caput to Bristol pursuing a hugely successful, and possibly surprising, run successful which the Lions finished 3rd with 83 points from 46 matches.

That tally was 10 much than sixth-placed Hull, who Millwall faced implicit 2 legs successful the playoff semi-finals, but the Lions were incapable to marque it to Wembley contempt their awesome regular-season campaign.

A goalless gully astatine the MKM Stadium was followed by a heartbreaking 2-0 decision astatine The Den, with the Tigers yet securing promotion to the Premier League by beating Middlesbrough successful a playoff last surrounded with controversy.

The East London nine made 7 signings implicit the summer, with Mathis Servais the astir notable accomplishment aft joining from Mechelen successful a £5.1m deal.

The Lions faced Queens Park Rangers successful the EFL Cup past play and were taken to penalties aft conceding an 86th-minute ain extremity from Mark Sykes, but Neil's broadside ultimately progressed pursuing a low-scoring shootout.

Bristol City signifier (all competitions):

Millwall signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Skubala fielded a adjacent full-strength broadside against Walsall past week and whitethorn opt for a akin XI contempt the disappointing defeat.

Cardines, who joined connected indebtedness from Crystal Palace successful caller days, could marque his debut, portion the Robins stay without Luke McNally and Adam Murphy.

Millwall could besides manus retired immoderate debuts connected the opening day.

Lyndon Dykes precocious joined connected a escaped transportation and has not featured since representing Scotland astatine the World Cup, portion Servais could marque his archetypal competitory commencement for the Lions.

Incredibly, Lukas Jensen saved 4 penalties successful Millwall's caller shootout triumph and is truthful expected to clasp his spot successful extremity aft his player-of-the-match performance.

Neil volition beryllium incapable to telephone upon Massimo Luongo, who remains sidelined with an injury, portion Caleb Taylor returned pursuing his ft occupation and is expected to clasp his spot successful the backmost four.

Bristol City imaginable starting lineup:

Tickle; Tanner, Dickie, Eissat, Pring; Knight, Randell; Hirakawa, Twine, Greenwood; Tolaj

Millwall imaginable starting lineup:

Jensen; Leonard, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge; De Norre, Metcalfe; Azeez, Servais, Neghli; Coburn

We say: Bristol City 1-1 Millwall

Neither broadside volition privation to commencement the caller Championship run with a defeat, and the opening-day quality of the contention makes it hard to foretell however rapidly the caller arrivals volition settle.

With some teams possessing reasons for optimism but besides questions to answer, we expect a choky and cagey contention astatine Ashton Gate, with the spoils yet being shared.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.