Paul Merson throws out Millwall promotion claim live on Sky Sports | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has revealed that he is supporting Millwall in their pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has revealed that he would like to see Millwall win promotion to the Premier League this season.

After a strong second half of the campaign following the appointment of Alex Neil in December, Millwall missed out on the play-offs on the final day of last season, and they are firmly in promotion contention once again this time around under the Scot's guidance.

The Lions have spent much of this season challenging at the top of the Championship, and they strengthened their place in the top six with a 2-0 victory at fellow promotion hopefuls Wrexham on Saturday, with Max Cleworth's own goal and Josh Coburn's strike sealing an impressive three points for Neil's men.

Millwall currently sit fifth in the table, six points clear of seventh-placed Preston North End, while they are also just six points behind second-placed Coventry City and eight points behind new league leaders Middlesbrough.

As the Lions look to return to the top flight of English football for the first time in 26 years, they brought in three new signings to bolster their squad in the January transfer window, with goalkeeper Anthony Patterson and winger Tommy Watson joining on loan from Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively, while midfielder Barry Bannan made a permanent move from Sheffield Wednesday.

Paul Merson issues Millwall promotion claim amid Premier League push

Merson was on punditry duty for Middlesbrough's 2-1 win at Sheffield United on Monday night, and when discussing the Championship promotion race, the former Arsenal man threw his support behind Millwall in their pursuit of Premier League football.

"I've looked at their fixtures, and I would like to see Millwall go up," Merson said on Sky Sports.

"I've got fond memories of playing there myself for Portsmouth.

"I've always followed their scores since that day when I played there.

"They've got some nice fixtures.

"If it was the Premier League, you'd say 'they've got good fixtures', but because it's the Championship, everybody beats each other."

The Lions are back in action when they make the trip to face bottom side Sheffield Wednesday, who are currently on a 25-game winless run, at Hillsborough on Saturday, while they also have the likes of Portsmouth, Birmingham City and Preston North End to come before the end of the month.

Paul Merson may get Millwall promotion wish after Alex Neil transfer business

Not too long ago, Millwall may have felt that reaching the play-offs was their best chance of achieving promotion this season, but automatic promotion now seems a genuine possibility after Coventry's recent wobble.

The Lions have back-to-back away games against Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough either side of the March international break which could determine their top two chances, but as Merson says, the rest of their fixture list is relatively favourable.

Neil has arguably had Millwall overperforming for much of his tenure so far, but the additions of Patterson, Bannan and Watson in January have added real quality and depth to the squad, and there is growing belief at The Den that promotion could be on the cards.