Match Preview | Latics v Millwall FC

A closer look into Saturday’s game at the DW Stadium as Latics take on Millwall FC

• Match Preview | Latics v Millwall FC
• A closer look into Saturday’s game at the DW Stadium 
• Shaun Maloney’s men will be looking to back up their midweek victory at Stoke City 

Wigan Athletic will take on Millwall FC in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm). 

Shaun Maloney’s men will welcome the Lions to the DW Stadium, aiming to back up their midweek victory at Stoke City with another positive result. 

Will Keane’s 11th league goal of the season - and his 49th for the Tics - proved to be decisive at the bet365 Stadium, and helped them bounce back from three successive defeats. 

The togetherness during Tuesday’s hard-fought display was there for everybody to see, and it will certainly provide Maloney’s men with a massive lift ahead of their final three league games of the 2022/23 campaign. 

Seven points currently separate Latics from safety, and while it is undoubtedly going to be a huge ask to overcome the deficit, Maloney and his players will give absolutely everything to help this Football Club remain in the Championship. 

The task is not going to be easy, but it’s certainly not impossible, and if any Football Club can mastermind a ‘Great Escape’, it’s Wigan Athletic. 

Millwall FC will arrive at the DW Stadium with something equally important at stake, albeit at the opposite end of the league table. The race for the Play-Offs has certainly been heating up in recent weeks, with seven teams all in contention to land one of the four spots. 

Gary Rowett’s side are currently sitting in fifth place on 65 points, having played a game more than seventh-placed West Bromwich Albion. The Lions will be hoping that a strong finish to the season will be enough to seal their place in the Play-Offs, so they have the opportunity to return to the top flight for the first time in over 35 years. 

With both sides needing a victory to boost their own survival aspirations, Saturday’s game has all the makings to be an extremely competitive and entertaining encounter. 

OPPOSITION OVERVIEW 

Based in East London, Millwall were founding members of the Southern League, later joining the Football League in 1920.  

The Lions have spent the majority of their existence in the second and third tiers of English football, reaching the heights of the First Division in 1988. They were relegated after two seasons, coming close to returning in 1994/95 after being defeated in the Play-Offs.  

This ultimately led to a period of financial hardship, as the Lions fell into the third tier and entered administration in 1997, being eventually saved by Greek-Cypriot British retail magnate and entrepreneur, Theo Paphitis.  

Quickly bouncing back from real adversity, the Lions secured their first-ever appearance at Wembley in 1999, losing 1-0 against Wigan Athletic in the Football League Trophy Final.  

They continued their revival by winning the Second Division title in 2001, before becoming only the second team outside the top flight to reach an FA Cup Final in 2004. The Lions qualified for the UEFA Cup as a result of their achievement, though they were knocked out by Hungarian side Ferencvàrosi TC in the First Round.  

Saturday afternoon’s visitors almost repeated the impressive feat in 2013, but on this occasion, the Lions fell short at the Semi Final stage following a 2-0 defeat against Latics at a rain-soaked Wembley.  

Since then, the Lions have been bouncing between the Championship and League One, spending the last six years in the second tier after winning promotion in 2017. 

They have been challenging at the top end of the table during the previous three seasons, and the 2022/23 campaign has been no different, with Gary Rowett’s side still in contention to finish inside the Play-Offs ahead of the final three league games of the season.  

IN THE OPPOSITION DUGOUTS | GARY ROWETT

Appointed in October 2019, Gary Rowett has done a wonderful job in helping Millwall consistently compete at the top end of the Sky Bet Championship table.  

A former defender for the likes of Derby County, Leicester City and Charlton Athletic, Rowett began his managerial career with Burton Albion in 2012 following a spell as caretaker.  

He was an instant hit at the Pirelli Stadium, guiding the Brewers to successive Play-Off campaigns before earning an opportunity to manage in the Championship with Birmingham City in October 2014.  

Working alongside Latics’ Goalkeeping Coach Darryl Flahavan, Rowett immediately stabilised the team amid difficult circumstances and significantly improved their on-field fortunes.  

In his two years at St Andrew’s, Rowett helped the Blues to two consecutive 10th-place finishes, before setting the wheels in motion for a potential Play-Off push prior to his departure in December 2016.  

Further spells at Derby County and Stoke City preceded his appointment with this afternoon’s visitors, with Rowett taking over from long-serving manager Neil Harris in October 2019. The Lions were sitting in a precarious position at the time of Rowett’s arrival, and his first task was to ensure that they distanced themselves from the drop zone.  

An eighth-place finish signified their instant progress under Rowett, and they have continued to mount a real challenge at the right end of the table over the last three seasons.  

Their form throughout the 2022/23 campaign has put them right in the mix to finish in the Play-Off Places, and with three games remaining, Rowett will be hoping to help the Lions return to the top flight for the first time in over 35 years. 

THE DANGER MAN | ZIAN FLEMMING

Currently experiencing his first taste of English football, Zian Flemming’s eye-catching form for the Lions has earned him the nickname of ‘The Bermondsey Bergkamp’.  

Born in Amsterdam, Flemming started his career with Ajax, before moving on to fellow Dutch top-flight side PEC Zwolle in 2018. After finding opportunities hard to come by, Flemming really began to unearth his potential during a loan spell with NEC Nijmegen in 2019/20, scoring 13 goals in just 24 appearances.  

The following summer saw the 24-year-old move to Fortuna Sittard in August 2020, where he quickly showcased his natural ability to both score and create goals on a regular basis in the Eredivisie.  

His impressive displays convinced this afternoon’s visitors to make him their club record signing last summer, and Flemming has adapted effortlessly to the physical and mental demands of the Championship.  

The Dutch playmaker has netted 14 times in 40 league appearances for the Lions, including a fine volley against Latics in December’s reverse meeting at the Den. He will be hoping to finish his debut season in English football strongly and help the Lions book their place in the Championship Play-Offs. 

LATICS LINKS

Ben Amos is the only connection between the two sides, with the Latics goalkeeper previously spending a season on loan at the Den in 2018/19. 

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Latics and Millwall FC have previously met 34 times in senior competitions since their first-ever encounter in 1935 with nine victories for Latics, 13 wins for the Lions, and 12 draws. 

Latics' last victory against the Lions came in February 2020, with some good wing play from Anthony Pilkington resulting in Shaun Hutchinson turning the ball into the back of his own net.