IT could be a “cagey” and “edgy” affair between Millwall and Birmingham today, according to Neil Harris.
The pair are separated by just a point and are uncomfortably close to the relegation zone as Championship clubs head into the final straight of the season.
Harris has delivered seven points from a potential nine so far and has turbo-charged Millwall’s survival efforts.
He was asked if he expected a similar game to the one the Lions were involved in on Tuesday night against Blackburn Rovers where the two relegation-threatened sides played out a cautious 1-1 draw.
Speaking in his virtual pre-match press conference, Harris said: “I would imagine so, yes. At this stage of the season, teams at the top are fighting for promotion and you saw us win at Southampton and QPR win at Leicester. It happens. Because teams have a little wobble and panic.
“And it’s the same at the bottom. Not for us, because we’re in a great place at the moment. But there’s a lot to play for. Games are cagey and rightly so. It’s the same in every division at this stage of the season and it’s the same season after season. It’s been the same for the last 25 years of my professional career. Games at this stage of the season will be scrappy and a little bit ugly at times and we have to accept that and be the best version we can during those periods.
“When we’re playing well we have to accept it and embrace it, and when we’re not playing so well, we have to grind it out and be aggressive in our approach and be the best team we can.
“So I do expect the game will be a bit cagey and edgy at times, that’s why we need the atmosphere and The Den rocking.
“Birmingham have got some very good individual ball-carriers and good individual ability but we want to put those players under pressure.”
The draw against Blackburn saw Millwall take the lead but fail to win, meaning it is now a whopping 26 points dropped from winning positions for the Lions this season.
On this stat, Harris said: “I can’t control what happened before I got here. I can only control the last two-and-a-bit weeks and what’s coming in the next eight weeks. So I don’t focus back on that.
“Stats are there to speak for themselves so I can’t argue with that fact. For me, I look more at the other day [against Blackburn] and thought ‘was a draw a fair result?’ and yes it probably was. So I’ve focused more on the positive rather than the negative of losing the lead.
“But it goes without say that when you do get in front – in a tough division, as we know – it’s about trying to be the best you can and not give your opponent a helping hand. The other day we concede a poor goal. We take responsibility for it.
“But it was a poor goal to give away and we need to limit silly mistakes and it gives us a much better chance of winning games.”