AIDOMO Emakhu will make his first start of 2024 against Blackburn Rovers – as he replaces his fellow Irishman Michael Obafemi up front.
Emakhu has been nursing both shoulder and ankle injuries this calendar year and is on the teamsheet for the first time since that memorable 1-0 victory over Norwich City at the end of December.
With Obafemi dropping to the bench, it appears like Emakhu will play the lone striker role with Tom Bradshaw and Kevin Nisbet absent with injury.
The other change from the 1-0 win over Watford sees Ryan Longman come back in to replace Duncan Watmore, who scored twice against Rovers in the infamous 4-3 defeat at the end of last season. Watmore is on the bench.
Having once been among the first names on the team sheet, there is no place among the substitutes for Wes Harding for the second game running. Ryan Leonard, Japhet Tanganga, Jake Cooper and Danny McNamara continue on in Neil Harris’ back four for the third game running.
John Eustace has also made two changes to his Blackburn side for what is his sixth match in charge.
Goalkeeper Aynsley Pears misses out with illness, carving a route back into the team for Leopold Wahlstedt, who was the first-choice keeper until early January.
The other change sees Jake Garrett come in Andrew Moran in midfield.
Eustace has yet to win in charge of Blackburn who are without a victory in five matches.
Millwall’s last win at Ewood Park came in the FA Cup in 2013. They have beaten Blackburn just once in their last 16 meetings.
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Millwall: 4-4-1-1: Sarkic; Leonard, Cooper (c), Tanganga, McNamara; Honeyman, Mitchell, Saville, Longman; Flemming; Emakhu.
Subs: Bialkowski, Wallace, Bryan, Norton-Cuffy, Watmore, Obafemi, De Norre, Esse, Mayor.
Blackburn: 3-4-3: Wahlstedt; Hyam, McFadzean, Wharton; Brittain, Garrett, Buckley, Pickering; Dolan, Szmodics, Gallagher.
Subs: Michalski, O’Riordan, Telalovic, Koumetio, Ayari, Markanday, Chrisene, Gilsenan, Sigurdsson.