Millwall sit one point above Rotherham United, who occupy 22nd place in the Championship.
Ipswich Town and Bolton Wanderers look like they are set to be relegated this season, so Rotherham United, Reading and Wigan Athletic will battle with the Lions to avoid the drop in that final space.
With only three points separating all four sides, this run-in is crucial to the future of these clubs.
Millwall’s last nine games looks bleak for them on paper, facing a few sides who seem to be safe this season, but the majority of their games are against teams in and around the top of the table and fighting for the play-offs.
Home Comforts
Five of their last nine games are at The Den, where they have picked up the majority of their points this season and may be the saving grace for the Lions.
The Lions now have the international break before they travel to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United who are well and truly entrenched in an automatic promotion battle.
Away Day Blues
Millwall’s away form is not great to say the least and they have to go to promotion hopefuls Sheffield United and Aston Villa, before a trip to Lancashire to face relegation rivals Wigan Athletic on the final day which could prove pivotal in their season.
Seven of their last nine games will be in a busy April period. Five of these are at The Den and they will live in the hope that they can pick up just enough points to stay clear of those dreaded relegation spots.
Millwall host mid-table sides Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Brentford who they hope may have their flip-flops on early, but they also welcome West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City who are both still looking at those play-off spots in their run-in.
The saving grace for the Lions is that their FA Cup escapades have given them an extra game in-hand, as the Bristol City home match got moved to the second last game of the season midweek when no other teams will be playing.
This match could seal their fate, or take it to the final game of the season at Wigan.
Relegation Run-Ins
Millwall’s Last 9: Leeds (A), West Brom (H), QPR (H), Sheff Utd (A), Brentford (H), Villa (A), Stoke (H), Bristol City (H), Wigan Athletic (A).
Rotherham United’s Last 8: Derby (A), Forest (H), Villa (H), Stoke (A), Swansea (A), Birmingham (H), West Brom (A), Middlesbrough (H)
Reading’s Last 8: Preston (H), Hull (A), Norwich City (A), Brentford (H), Bristol City (A), West Brom (H), Middlesbrough (A), Birmingham City (H)
Wigan Athletic’s Last 8: Brentford (H), Bristol City (A), Hull City (A), Norwich City (H), Leeds United (A), Preston (H), Birmingham City (A), Millwall (H)
These four sides look to be the ones fighting for survival, QPR could get dragged into it, but they are eight points ahead of the relegation places and would need an almighty fall in form to be in trouble.
On the basis of each team’s run-ins, they could all go down with the quality of teams they all have to face, and this is a testament to the strength of the EFL Championship.
One thing is for sure is that each team will have to try and utilise their stronger home form that has seen them not fall adrift just yet.
It looks set to be an interesting end to the EFL Championship, up the top and the bottom of the division.
