Millwall star fires Leeds United warning inspired by 'incredible' memory and Whites man's exit

Rejuvenated Millwall are heading to Elland Road on Sunday for a Championship contest in which a Leeds victory by two goals would send Daniel Farke’s thriving Whites top of the division.

Second-placed Leeds remain unbeaten on their home patch this season and Millwall’s Northern Ireland international midfielder George Saville has served up big praise for the Whites, citing a visit to Elland Road as up there with the best.

Saville, though, has also issued a bullish message about his own side’s prospects as the midfielder eyes a second victory at LS11 having also been part of the Lions side that secured a shock 4-3 win against Thomas Christiansen’s Whites back in January 2018.

Saville was heavily involved in the contest and was caught by a costly late lunge from Whites captain Liam Cooper, the Lions midfielder recalling how he “got their centre-half sent off.” The midfielder says the triumph was “incredible” and has vowed that his team will be “difficult” on Sunday in the bid for another Whites shock under recently returned boss Neil Harris who was also in the dugout back in 2018.

Under Harris, Millwall have taken ten points from their last possible 12, including a 2-1 win at United’s promotion rivals Southampton that Saville is taking particular encouragement from.

"Leeds is a big game for the football club,” said Saville. “It’s a fixture I’ve always enjoyed as well, especially playing for Millwall. Leeds away at Elland Road, the position they’re in as well, there’s not many better places to go and play football to be honest.

"We’ve shown how difficult we are to play against at the moment. Not many teams will probably want to play us right now. We’re really working hard, we’re really hard to beat. It’s a difficult fixture for them and the Southampton game gives us confidence we can go and beat the top teams. We’ll go and be difficult on Sunday and try and get a result.”

Recalling the seven-goal thriller of January 2018, Saville admitted: “That day was incredible. I think we were 2-0 up, I got their centre-half sent off. And then within 15 minutes of the second half, they were 3-2 up and you could just hear the noise. And to turn it around again was just incredible. That’s one game that will live long in my memory for sure, it was an incredible day.

“We hadn’t won away from home the whole season and we went and picked up a result there that sparked us to winning five or six in a row. We were playing there with no fear, nothing to lose. It was our first year in the Championship and trying to get results. Whereas now it’s a bit different, we’re in a different situation.

"A lot of stuff has happened this year but we’ve got a lot of people who have good experience throughout the team here. We’ve got a manager that’s been there and done it, players that have been there before. It’s a challenge to be excited about.”