Championship: Millwall - Burnley

I like Millwall when they are underdogs at home, it just kind of suits the team, stadium and supporters and the whole place is lifted.... "no one likes us, we don't care" as the Lions philosophy goes and as an old friend sings to me everytime we meet. Their last three home games have seen them beat Blackpool 3-1, Leeds 2-0 and draw 2-2 with highflying QPR and now, leaders Burnley come to the New Den. The hosts will definitely raise their game again and will take further heart from a 1-1 draw at Reading last week, where they trailed for over 80 minutes and scored their late equaliser with only ten men on the pitch. Boss Steve Lomas described that as his team's best performance of the season, full of spirit and good football.

I was keen to oppose them last month on the road at Bournemouth and was a little scathing ....

I think the Lions might have got "found out" with that heavy midweek loss to Birmingham, they were coming off three straight wins and played some delightful attacking football in a 2-0 defeat of Leeds United at the New Den last Saturday. But they were a bit too gung-ho at times ,allowed acres of space and United really should have got something from that match. City had done their homework, ran out easy winners, missed a penalty and could have scored six. Millwall were 0-2-4 through their first six games and I feel the recent run was a brief respite. The Lions lost a lot of key players in the Summer and have now allowed James Henry (35-5-8 last season) to join Wolves and Liam Feeney has gone to Bolton, they have a small budget and boss Steve Lomas is trying to balance the books and stay competitive, which in this toughest of divisions is close to impossible. They lost absolutely key central defender Mark Beevers for six weeks to injury , he played in the first eight games, missed the last two and he was missed. You only had to see the space through the middle in both games at the back, despite the win over Leeds, who are themselves struggling. The Lions have had a league low 23 attempts on target this season and I think they have a tough ask to stay in the second tier, I hope they will, but not with any points today !

They lost that 5-2, but...... rest of the preview is only available to clubgowi subscribers

Premier League: West Ham United- Aston Villa

Most of you will know that I was pretty keen on the Hammers for this season and they were terribly unlucky with the timing of the injury and re-injury to Andy Carroll, but did us a favour last week with that 0-0 draw at Swansea, ahead of which I wrote ....

United have taken four points from their last three away starts, a 0-0 draw at Southampton and 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur, I wonder how many other teams will manage clean sheets and that points haul from trips to St Mary's and White Hart Lane this season. They also kept Newcastle United scoreless on their first away start of the season, which is never easy and the only match on the road they came up short in was a 1-0 defeat at Hull City and I can 100% assure you they were robbed there and the home side and match officials should have been wearing highwayman masks. United were denied a clear penalty, City awarded one which never was, the visitors dominated possession and had twice the number (18) of attempts on goal of the home side. Big Sam Allardyce has got the Hammers very well organised on the road and for now, until they get Andy Carroll back, they look more comfortable when they do not have to make the running. They come into this fixture fresh, following a free midweek and the big handicap start makes plenty of appeal.

City were not at their best on Thursday night in the Europa League and whilst they did rotate their squad a little, several key players will have played in both and they have not looked as fluid as for most of last season. The Michu/ Wilfried Bony partnership is not yet firing and I have my doubts about it, as the Ivorian striker thrives on a quickly played long ball and that is just not the City style, but time will tell. Swansea have won two of their four starts after playing in Europe, but they came against a poor Crystal Palace and out of form, at the time, West Bromwich Albion and I expect things to be tougher today and it will be very hard for City not to have at least one eye on next week's first ever Premier League South Wales derby, with arch rivals Cardiff City. It is tough to explain exactly how big a deal that is for both clubs and especially the two sets of supporters. The hosts seem likely to still be without much admired central defender Ashley Williams ( one win and nine goals conceded in the four PL matches he has missed in the last two seasons), he returned to trained this week, but will probably not be rushed back, out for sure is left back Ben Davies (8-2-0) he has not missed a match in over 14 months and with so much City play starting from the back, is a big loss. With West Ham playing with two very wide men, this looks good news for the visitors, especially Stewart Downing on the right flank.

That ended 0-0...... rest of the preview is only available to clubgowi subscribers

League 1 : Bristol City- Oldham Athletic

City finally broke their duck last week with a first win in 22 starts, it has been coming, they have been playing pretty well for the last few weeks, but when things are not going your way, it is very difficult to turn things around and get that first breakthrough win. All .... rest of the preview is only available to clubgowi subscribers

League 1 : Swindon Town- Port Vale

We touched upon Swindon ahead of their trip to Rotherham United last month, when we keen to oppose the home side who were missing any recognised central defender and vunerable to pace, I wrote .... Swindon have started to haul themselves up the table and it is hardly surprising with the squad being majorly upgraded in recent weeks, with the addition of Nile Ranger from Newcastle United, Nicky Ajose from Peterborough, Dany N'Guessan (Millwall) and three Tottenham loanees in Ryan Mason, Alex Pritchard and Grant Hall. Once again the Swindon Town roller coaster, both in terms of finances and league position is underway and once on the up slope, it is best not to oppose them and with Anason out for the hosts, who are tough to beat, but limited, I could see the movement of the visitors forwards (who should be playing at a higher level) causing them problems,with United unable to just sit back at home.

Town won that 4-0, followed up with an easy defeat of Notts County, which made it four wins in a row and I was starting to rest of the preview is only available to clubgowi subscribers

Championship: Doncaster Rovers - Brighton & Hove Albion

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Good Luck.