Get the lowdown on today’s opponents: Millwall.
The Opposition
Millwall’s 2024/25 season ended with an eighth place in the Championship, narrowly missing out on a play-off spot by just two points despite a well-timed run of form that saw them win six from their last ten games.
Initially struggling for consistency under Neil Harris, the Lions won 13 of their 26 games under newly appointed boss Alex Neil, who was appointed in December, to steadily climb the table with an improved string of form that saw them secure a strong finish.
Top scorer Mihailo Ivanović contributed 13 goals in all competitions, with the impressive 20-year old bettering his counterparts Josh Coburn, Duncan Watmore and Romain Esse, who all ranked as second in their goalscoring charts with five each, while Casper De Norre was a consistent presence in the team, making 51 appearances in all competitions, and followed the likes of George Saville (49), George Honeyman (45), Joe Bryan (44), Japhet Tanganga (43) and Lukas Jenson (43) as the only players to appear more than 40 times throughout the campaign as Neil found a steadied side.
Overall, Millwall remained typically pragmatic, averaging low possession and limited big chances created, but utilised hard‑work to mount a late push for the play-offs.
Millwall also reached the FA Cup Fifth Round, where they were defeated by eventual winners Crystal Palace.
The Lions kick-started their summer plans by rewarding Neil with a contract extension following an impressive start in the dugout at The Den, and have brought four new players into the side ahead of the new season with Max Crocombe (Burton Albion), Zak Sturge (Chelsea) and Massimo Luongo (Ipswich Town) all joining permanently alongside Coburn, following his loan spell from Middlesbrough last term, while Steven Benda has joined on loan from Fulham to bolster their goalkeeping union.
Pre-season has been in full flow for Millwall, playing five games already including a trip abroad to take on Spanish side Elche, and they have won three of their last four friendlies against AFC Wimbledon, Bromley and Northampton Town, alongside defeats against Elche and Crystal Palace.
Sutton has previously only played against Millwall once in a pre-season friendly, but have established a connection with their South London counterparts over the last few seasons. A host of players have now played for both clubs, and the most notable link between is U’s gaffer and Millwall legend, Steve Morison, who scored 92 goals in over 300 appearances for the Lions.
The Manager
Alex Neil
Former midfielder Alex Neil has established himself as a safe pair of hands at Championship level, with a number of successes in the second tier across a host of clubs in the division.
Hailing from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Neil came through the ranks at Dunfermline Athletic before turning out for Airdrieonians, Barnsley and Mansfield Town as a player, prior to a ten-year stint at Hamilton Academical between 2005 and 2015.
The twilight years of his playing career saw Neil get involved in coaching the youth teams at the Broadwood Stadium, and he was subsequently appointed as interim player-manager following the exit of Billy Reid, before being named in permanent charge in May 2013. Then just 31-years old, Neil, assisted by Frankie McAvoy, led the club to promotion back to the top flight in his first full season via the play-offs, and followed it up with a good start to the 2014/15 Scottish Premiership, notably defeating Celtic away for the first time in 76 years.
Neil’s ten-year association with the Accies came to an end midway through that same season though, becoming the second youngest manager in the Football League after Mansfield’s Adam Murray when he joined Norwich City at the age of 33.He gained 17 wins from 25 games to propel the Canaries to a third place finish, which resulted in a 4-2 aggregate win over East Anglia rivals Ipswich Town in the play-offs, before defeating Middlesbrough 4-0 in the final to gain promotion back to the Premier League.
The Scot subsequently remained at Carrow Road for another two years, suffering relegation from the top flight in their first season before being dismissed in March 2017, having failed to guide them back into the Premier League, but returned to management just three months later though with a move to Preston North End.
Remaining at Deepdale for four years, Neil kept the Whites largely consistent in the second tier before departing the club by mutual consent to join Sunderland, where he once again achieved promotion at Wembley Stadium, guiding the Black Cats to victory in the League One play-off final with a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers.
However, the 44-year old took charge of just five Championship games with the club before being on the move again, opting to spend the 2022/23 season at Stoke City following the dismissal of Michael O’Neill, where he lasted until December 2023 before being sacked with the Potters sat 20th in the division.
This preceded a move to Millwall though, and he regained his reputation as a reliable manager at second tier level, leading the Lions to a late play-off push with 13 wins from 26 games, and was rewarded with a contract extension in May.
One to Watch
Mihailo Ivanović
Serbia international Mihailo Ivanović has had a superb impact since arriving at The Den last year, and was the club’s top scorer during 2024/25.
Born in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro, Ivanović initially spent nine years in the youth setup at Krila Krajine before moving to FK Vojvodina, where he signed professional terms in March 2021. He subsequently spent five years at Воша / Voša, making his debut as a late substitute for Veljko Simić in a 2-0 away win against TSC Bačka Topola, and then spent a season on loan to Serie A side Sampdoria, a year before signing a contract extension at Vojvodina.
Despite this, Ivanović departed his home nation three months later, moving to England to join Millwall in August 2024 on a long-term contract. Following a strong first season at The Den, he was named the club’s Young Player of the Year as well as winning the Goal of the Season award, which was one of 13 strikes in all competitions, more than anyone else in the Lions’ team.
Internationally, Ivanović has represented Serbia at Under-17, Under-18 and Under-21 level, with his first call-up coming in 2020, four years before his maiden call-up to the senior team for UEFA Nations League matches against Spain and Denmark. The 20-year old made his senior Serbia debut against the latter at the Dubočica Stadium, replacing Andrija Živković late on.
Last Time We Met
A Kevin Nisbet treble saw Millwall overcome Sutton with a comfortable 3-0 win in pre-season.
With manager Gary Rowett naming a strong Lions side, an ever start was followed by the opener, as Millwall took the lead when Nisbet rifled home an attempt from 18-yards out to break the deadlock.
Despite maintaining control of proceedings, the hosts almost equalised in bizarre circumstances shortly before the hour-mark when Billy Mitchell’s clearance cannoned off a Sutton man, forcing George Long to make a smart and reactionary stop, and were soon ahead by two when they were given a chance to double their advantage, as Romain Esse was fouled in the box, causing referee Carl Brook to point to the penalty spot. Nisbet subsequently made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Jack Rose the wrong way.
The visitors were dominant at the VBS Community Stadium, and added a third through Nisbet again, who sealed his hat-trick in style as he rifled home a free-kick from 20 yards out to condemn the U’s to defeat.
Played for Both
George Evans
Former Sutton loanee George Evans has enjoyed a rapid rise into the Millwall first team since departing Gander Green Lane, making his Championship debut just three months on from his loan spell in the National League.
A Lions academy product, Evans’ prior experience was limited to a brief loan move at Isthmian League South East Division side Broadbridge Heath, where he won Man of the Match in three of his five games, and followed it up with a similar spell at Sutton last season.
A Man of the Match-worthy display on his debut saw him contribute to a 1-0 victory over Tamworth in the Isuzu FA Trophy Fourth Round, with a handful of outstanding saves throughout the match to keep the Lambs at bay with the pick of the bunch being an outrageous point blank stop to deny Kyle Finn early on, and in all played three times for the U’s, adding to his array of good performances in the National League Cup against West Bromwich Albion by keeping out three penalties to help Sutton win the shootout.
Having arrived on a 28-day loan, Evans returned to The Den after a successful month, and against all the odds, found himself in and around the first team just three months later.
With first choice goalkeepers Lukas Jensen (injury) and Liam Roberts (six-game ban) unavailable, Evans made his Millwall debut in a 4–1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, and ended the season with three appearances to his name which included a clean sheet and another Man of the Match display against Swansea City.
