Millwall and Watford kick off their 2024-25 Championship campaigns with a showdown at The Den on Saturday afternoon. Both sides are full of optimism having made managerial appointments in 2024 that they hope will lead to much-improved seasons than 2023-24.

Having won eight of his 13 matches in charge of Millwall after his February return, there was an argument that Neil Harris was one of the managers of the year in last season's Championship. The spurt of victories took the Lions from relegation candidates to a 13th-placed finish, the expectation being that they can now challenge for the playoffs.

Off the pitch, Millwall are still handling the tragic passing of goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, leaving the need to find a new number one with Lukas Jensen and Liam Roberts having been brought to the club. Notts County forward Macaulay Langstaff has also been added to the attack with goals having not always been forthcoming in 2023-24. That has remained the case in pre-season, though, with Millwall scoring just seven times in their six fixtures.

As for Watford, Tom Cleverley has been appointed as head coach on a permanent basis having impressed the club's powers-that-be while in interim charge. Just two defeats were posted during a testing nine-match period to conclude last season, the Hornets hierarchy seemingly taking a different approach to their previous hire-and-fire regime.

Ismael Kone's big-money switch to Marseille should free up the purse strings over the coming weeks, although the likes of Udinese centre-back Antonio Tikvic, left-back Yasser Larouci and midfielder Moussa Sissoko have already moved to Vicarage Road. Watford came through a hectic summer schedule with just two wins, although they concluded the eight-game stretch with a 1-1 draw versus Brentford.

Millwall Team News

With Japhet Tanganga remaining as an unused substitute against Southampton, the defender may have to make do with a spot on the Millwall substitutes' bench. Wes Harding could come back into the team, but Tom Bradshaw may get the nod over Langstaff down the middle of the attack.

Watford Team News

Meanwhile, Cleverley would only be able to take encouragement from his side earning a draw with Brentford last time out. Unless he opts for a more attack-minded strategy, the same Watford side could be selected with Vakoun Bayo getting the nod up front. Ken Sema is an option in a wide area, although Jeremy Ngakia seems most likely to get the nod.

Prediction

This has all the makings of being an extremely tight encounter with both sides avoiding defeat with regularity during last season's run-in. On that note, we can only back a low-scoring draw, a result that would satisfy the visitors more so than their hosts.

Where to Watch

Millwall v Watford will take place on Saturday 10th August 2024. The game will kick off at 12:30pm.

You can watch the game live on Sky Sports+ from 12:30pm. Sky Sports can be added to any Sky TV package for just £22 per month for all nine sports channels, or you can pick up the complete sports package plus Netflix for £43 per month.

Sky Sports + will feature more than 1,000 EFL games throughout the season and is included as part of Sky Sports packages. Sky Sports customers can live stream the game via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices including most smartphones and tablets as part of their subscription.

You can also watch the match via NOW with a day membership (£14.99) or month membership (£34.99). NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles. NOW is also available via TNT Sports.

You can listen to the match on BBC Radio Three Counties. BBC Radio Three Counties is available on DAB radio, FM 90.4 MHz, 92.1 MHz, 94.7 MHz, 95.5 MHz, 98.0 MHz, 103.8 MHz and 104.5 MHz, or you can tune into the station via Freeview.

Key Stats

• Millwall have won three of their last four league games against Watford (D1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory. They had won just two of their previous 18 against the Hornets before this run (D4 L12).
• Watford have won just one of their last six away league games against Millwall (D2 L3), failing to score in each of their last three visits.
• Millwall haven’t lost their opening league game in any of the last six seasons (W3 D3), keeping a clean sheet in four of their last five.
• Watford have won their opening league game in each of the last four seasons – only once have they done so in more consecutive Football League campaigns (six between 1922-23 and 1927-28).
• Millwall won their final five league games of 2023-24, last winning more consecutively in November/December 1999 (6).

Millwall vs Watford: A Match of High Stakes

The season opener at The Den promises to be a thrilling encounter. Both Millwall and Watford will be eager to start their campaigns on a positive note, and the result could have a significant impact on their respective season aspirations. With the tragic passing of Matija Sarkic still fresh in the minds of the Millwall faithful, the atmosphere at The Den is sure to be charged with emotion. It remains to be seen whether this will translate into an advantage for the home side, but it will certainly add another layer of intrigue to an already compelling clash.

The match also represents a significant test for both managers. Neil Harris has proven his ability to get the best out of his players at Millwall, but he will need to find a way to replace the goalscoring prowess of Zian Flemming, who departed the club earlier in the summer. Tom Cleverley, meanwhile, has a chance to establish himself as a successful manager in his own right. He will need to find a way to get the best out of his Watford side, which has been weakened by the departure of Ismael Koné.

The outcome of the match could have a significant impact on the Championship title race. Both Millwall and Watford have the potential to be serious contenders for promotion this season, and a win for either side would be a major boost to their ambitions.

With both sides looking to make a statement, and the tragic passing of Matija Sarkic adding an extra layer of emotion, this weekend's clash at The Den promises to be one of the most compelling Championship fixtures of the season.