Middlesbrough v Millwall: promotion pace meets play-off push | OneFootball

Middlesbrough host Millwall in the Championship at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, with second facing seventh and early promotion stakes in view.

Middlesbrough lost this fixture 2-1 in April, but arrive higher in the table after five games. Millwall also started fast and won 4-0 last time out, so the visitors will believe they can repeat their recent success on Teesside.

Boro have taken three wins from five league matches, including a 3-1 home victory over West Bromwich Albion and a 1-0 triumph at QPR, with a draw at Burnley in between. The Lions' run reads three wins and two defeats, rebounding emphatically against Bolton after losses to Southampton and Wrexham.

Team news could bite. Boro list Alex Bangura and Sebastian Berhalter as injured. The Lions are without Mark Sykes, Lukas Jensen, Luke Cundle and Tristan Crama, with Casper de Norre and Josh Coburn ruled out until 20 September. Jenson Metcalfe is suspended.

On the pitch, Boro tend to control games, averaging 59% possession and 88.06% pass accuracy, and could build patiently around Championship top scorer Will Lankshear, who has five goals. The Lions have scored 10 times, are strong in the air with 108 aerial duels won and a higher open play cross accuracy of 28.21, so wide deliveries and set pieces may be their route.

A home win would lift Boro to 13 points and could take them top. Victory for the Lions would move them to 12 points and could nudge them into the top six and firmly back into the promotion play-off picture.