YEP Jury: Millwall will be up for the fight for their biggest game of the season at Leeds United

DAVID WATKINS

Having been in ‘pause’ mode for two weeks waiting for the end of the international break, we now strap ourselves in for the final five-week sprint to the finish line.

All the ifs, buts and maybes are put to one side as we swap speculation for the reality of a tough-looking home game with our old foes from Bermondsey.

Millwall always raise their game against Leeds but this one is arguably as important for them as it is for us as they languish one point above the drop zone and with a tough-looking programme coming up.

After Leeds, their remaining games include trips to Sheffield United and Villa and home games with West Brom, Brentford, Stoke and Bristol, so they will see our game as vital.

Their form is not great, two wins from 11 in the league, although again it’s worth noting those came at Derby and Birmingham.

They will be without right-midfielder Shane Ferguson following his red card in the Cup defeat to Brighton on penalties last time out, so expect Steve ‘Zlatan’ Morison to start.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Millwall 1.

SHAUN SMITH

I went for a root canal this week and I have to say so skilled is my new dentist, that I actually enjoyed it. I love being the centre of attention.

Being the kind of person who revels in the artistry of being subject to prolonged dental procedures might explain why I am a Leeds United fan. We go again this weekend with the nauseating, nerve-jangling white-knuckle ride that is our 2018-19 season.

I remember the movie Marathon Man in which Laurence Olivier repeatedly asked “Is it safe” as he drilled into Dustin Hoffman’s unanaesthetised teeth. Dustin didn’t know whether it was safe or not and I must confess neither do I when it comes to predicting tomorrow’s game. Millwall represents that kind of ‘easy match’ that makes me pang to spend an hour or two with my new friend, the dentist.

Writhing around at the bottom of the championship like Dustin Hoffman, Millwall will arrive like a sore nerve.

Desperate to not only get three points but stuff the jumped-up northerners. They’ll be looking to inflict some pain.

I wonder if my dentist can play up front. He effortlessly penetrated my root canals and finished with clinical precision.

Hopefully, ‘Paddy’ Bamford can drill one in early on and we can all relax. Open wide, Millwall.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Millwall 1.

ANDY RHODES

For once, Leeds United might not have minded an international break.

It has offered fans and players alike the chance to refresh and clear their heads after the defeat against Sheffield United last time out.

The Whites didn’t play badly but they didn’t take their chances, something that Marcelo Bielsa will undoubtedly have been working on during the break.

This weekend’s game will pose a different sort of challenge.

The Lions showed character in the recent FA Cup defeat to Brighton and will be desperate for the three points in their fight against the drop.

Neil Harris has described this as the biggest game of Millwall’s season and, if previous fixtures are anything to go by, they’ll be up for the fight.

United will need to manage their opponent and break down their compact defence. It may be a war of attrition.

Last season, this fixture was a thriller for the neutrals. Bielsa would bite your hand off for a 1-0 win this time round.

Prediction: Leeds United 2 Millwall 1.

KEITH INGHAM

A fair bit of newsprint and conjecture has followed the desperately unlucky defeat to Sheffield United. A few made some useful comments, others rang the panic bell long and unfortunately too hard. Myself I was deflated and disappointed but let us not forget this drama has eight more acts before the curtain comes down.

There has been two weeks for Marcelo Bielsa and his players to adjust those fine lines between success and failure. The people most forward in the team will have hopefully arrested their failures in front of goal two weeks ago and when the chances come against Millwall they will ‘bury’ them.

An old foe comes to Leeds 11 tomorrow and, more than once, they have broken our hearts with results that, on one occasion, ruined our chances of making a play-off final.

Last year they won a seven-goal thriller thanks to a late goal.

They don’t like us, most of our fans despise them for the cruel way they mock the fact we lost two of our own in a certain country.

Tomorrow is a chance to settle the nerves and put another three points on the board.

It’s not important what the other two clubs do. We must do our bit as fans and support them in this final few furlongs.

Twenty-four points is the target now and, hopefully, tomorrow will be the start of a run that takes this wonderful club and its supporters back to where it belongs, the Premier League.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Millwall 0.

MATTHEW EVANS

The international break has meant that our promotion charge has been in a period of suspended animation.

And perhaps it also came at the worst possible time for Leeds United after having dropped out of the top two and they now find themselves in the chase to secure an automatic spot.

Another way of looking at it is that we drew a line under the result against Sheffield United.

We played well and should take that performance into our remaining games while you got the impression that beating Leeds United was the peak of their own ambitions.

It’s an eight-game shoot-out and we need to try to win every game.

We are very capable of that and it starts tomorrow.

I’m desperate to avoid a repeat of last year’s bizarre 4-3 defeat and call on Marcelo Bielsa and the squad to deliver us a routine win and a boost for the goal difference.

If Sheffield United, in second place in the Championship, and leaders Norwich City can drop points too, all the better.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Millwall 0.

MIKE GILL

After what seems like ages, we face our old friends Millwall at Elland Road.

Former Leeds striker Steve Morison has been stirring things up.

He rubbished Marcelo Bielsa’s thorough preparation quoting ‘Spygate’. Clearly he can’t think of anything more topical or relevant to bring up at this time.

He is coming to the end of his career and has not started too many games this season.

He has taken a leaf out of his ungracious manager’s book and does himself no credit.

The good news is that none of this will have any negative effect on Leeds.

The current group are too professional for that.

There is an important job to do tomorrow and the Whites must get on and do it.

Nothing in Millwall’s recent form suggests that they will spring a surprise but they must be taken seriously.

And it’s time now for Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts to sharpen up their shooting boots in front of the Elland Road faithful.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Millwall 1.