"Tough" - EFL pundit sends message to Macaulay Langstaff amid Millwall, Neil Harris struggles | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer believes striker Macaulay Langstaff will be a success at Millwall after his move from Notts County.

EFL pundit Carlton Palmer believes Millwall striker Macaulay Langstaff could be among the top goalscorers in the Championship this season if he is given an opportunity but has urged the summer arrival to "get his head down and work hard".

Langstaff joined the Lions in the summer from League Two side Notts County for a reported fee of £700,000 after a prolific two-year spell at Meadow Lane, and given that he finished as the top scorer in the EFL last season, there was hope that he could make the step up to the Championship.

However, while Langstaff started both of Millwall's EFL Cup games last month, he has been limited to substitute appearances in the league, playing a total of just 49 minutes so far this season, and manager Neil Harris admits it will take time for the 27-year-old to adapt to life at The Den.

"Macaulay Langstaff has come from the lower leagues – it is almost like bringing in a young player because he has never played at the level, so we have to be patient as well," Harris told the South London Press last month.

The Lions brought in two more strikers on deadline day, with Josh Coburn arriving on loan from Middlesbrough and Mihailo Ivanovic joining from Vojvodina for a club record fee that is believed to be in excess of £2.5 million, raising question marks about how much game time Langstaff will receive.

Carlton Palmer backs Macaulay Langstaff to deliver at Millwall

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer insisted that patience is needed with Langstaff, and he believes he could be one of the most dangerous strikers in the Championship if he is given a run in the team.

"It has to be given time, you can't jump to conclusions," Palmer said.

"Already people are questioning if Macaulay Langstaff has made the wrong move in joining Millwall because he's only played 49 minutes and Neil Harris has signed two more strikers.

"I think Neil's trying to put a squad together, they haven't had the best start to the season, getting beat in the first two games, then they had a draw and then a win in the last game.

"It's about patience, he's had a step up. "In their last game, they beat Sheffield Wednesday convincingly 3-0 at home, it's just about patience. "He's stepped up, he's come through all the leagues and as I've said before, I believe he can score goals at Championship level given the goals that he's scored with the opportunities that have come his way. "It's about being patient, when you go to a bigger club, you've got to be patient and get your head down and work hard, which he will do. "I ultimately think that Macaulay Langstaff will feature in the Millwall side, but Neil Harris wants a squad, they want to be competing, it's a tough and competitive Championship. "They've not got off to the best start, but having said that, they're only three points off a play-off place after four games, that's how competitive the league is.

"What Macaulay has to do is get his head down, work hard, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was among the top goalscorers in the Championship this season once he gets his opportunity and he's up and running."

Palmer is right that Langstaff needs time to adapt to the Championship, but it looks as though he may have made the wrong move in deciding to join Millwall.

Despite only signing for the club on deadline day, Coburn went straight into the Lions' starting line-up on Saturday, and after he scored in the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, Harris praised the Middlesbrough loanee for his immediate impact and stated that he will be an important player this season, so he seems certain to be a regular starter.

With the Lions paying a club-record fee for Ivanovic, it is likely that he will also have a big role to play for the club, and with further competition for places from the likes of Tom Bradshaw, Duncan Watmore, and Aidomo Emakhu, there are serious doubts over how much Langstaff will feature.