Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit tells Millwall FC how they can get into the play-offs | OneFootball

The Lions' hopes of making the top six were handed a huge boost by their win at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.

Millwall provided a crucial boost to their push to finish in the play-offs on Tuesday night with a huge 1-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Alex Neil’s side made it back-to-back wins with their midweek victory, as Josh Coburn netted the only goal of the game in the first half.

Despite Wilder’s Blades boasting the division’s second-best home record, Millwall left Bramall Lane with all three points, which has re-ignited their play-off hopes.

The Lions have found consistency hard to come by this season, but now sit just three points outside the play-off positions (although Coventry do have a game in hand), with just five games of the season remaining.

If they were able to snatch a top six spot come the end of the season, it would be a huge achievement for the club, considering some of the sides they find themselves up against in the race for promotion.

Lee Hendrie believes momentum will be key for Millwall if they finish in the top six

It has become a common occurrence in recent EFL seasons for teams in all three divisions to sneak into the play-offs in the final weeks of the season, and then go on and enjoy a strong post-season campaign.

With the way the Championship table is shaping up, that will surely be what Millwall are targeting. Such has been the success of the top four, that there are only really two spots left to play for, and potentially as many as six teams fighting for them.

Neil’s men must surely have renewed hope that they could lay claim to one of those two spots after their impressive victory on Tuesday night.

With that in mind, we spoke to Lee Hendrie about their chances of sneaking into the top six.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, the former England and Aston Villa man stressed the importance of momentum at this stage of the season for a side like Millwall.

Hendrie said: “This was a game that you felt was always going to be a tricky one for Sheffield United. The odds were stacked against Millwall, but they produced again.

“Alex Neil has done an unbelievable job since going to the club, he’s really given them a platform to build from and what a result that was, to beat Sheffield United on their own patch.

“You do feel that they’re so close now with the results that went for them yesterday.

“They’re within touching distance of the play-offs, and they have been in that predicament before. I think they’re a little bit stronger this time around, momentum could be key for them if they are to get one of those play-off spots.”

Millwall are capable of causing an upset

Their victory in South Yorkshire on Tuesday night was just the latest example that Millwall would not be an easy proposition for any team if they were to finish in the play-offs.

The Lions have lost just three games out of eight against the current top four so far this season, a run which includes home wins over both Burnley and Leeds, alongside their recent midweek win.

They have one of the Championship’s strongest defensive records, having shipped just 41 goals all season.

When you consider their ability to frustrate and then play teams on the break, Neil’s side could represent a real banana skin if they are able to book themselves a spot in the semi-finals.

While the buffer between them and the top six could be stretched to five points (if Coventry win their game in hand on Wednesday), Millwall’s upcoming fixtures look set to hand them a huge say in where their fate may lie.

They welcome play-off rivals Middlesbrough to the Den at the weekend, before facing Norwich and Blackburn (two of the teams directly below them) in the following weeks.

If they can take a decent points return from those games, it could strengthen their position even further going into the final weeks of the campaign.

A trip to Turf Moor to face Scott Parker’s Burnley on the final day is one of the toughest tests in the division, but if the next few games go well, they could potentially make the trip up to Lancashire with their destiny in their own hands.