"Serious contenders" - Carlton Palmer drops claim on "remarkable" Millwall FC | OneFootball

The pundit has been speaking exclusively to FLW about the Lions' recent exploits.

Carlton Palmer believes that Millwall are contenders for a play-off finish this season, after they won for the fourth game in a row on Wednesday evening.

Japhet Tanganga's perfectly timed stabbed volley just before the break was just enough to hand the Lions all three points at The Den against Leeds United, with the strike moving his side up to 5th in the Championship table.

It's been a remarkable run of form for Neil Harris' team, one that has seen them go from being within touching distance of the bottom three all the way into the top six in the space of a month. However, it is something that they have threatened to do all season.

Millwall are now six unbeaten in the league, having not lost a game since 1 October, when they were beaten 1-0 by Cardiff City.

Palmer makes Millwall prediction

Not many would have foreseen this run that the Lions have embarked on, but performances have been good under Harris this season, and at times they were perhaps unlucky to find themselves on the losing side of games.

While it is still very early days in the campaign, there is a lot of excitement growing at The Den, and there will be hopes that they can maintain their current position.

It is a feeling that is shared by those outside of South London, including former England and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Palmer, with the player-turned-pundit exclusively speaking to Football League World about Millwall's chances of finishing in the top six.

He told FLW: "Millwall have gone about their business under Neil Harris quite quietly, but now we see them in 5th place on 22 points in a play-off place.

"It's remarkable to see the change under Neil Harris. Can they be considered as proper promotion contenders? Well, the argument would be that they've beaten in their last two games Burnley and Leeds United, who would be considered as automatic promotion candidates and for the title.

"Do I see them gatecrashing the front two? I really don't. I think the games come thick and fast. They’re still eight points behind Sunderland, they're still six points behind Sheffield United. I don't think they'll gatecrash the one and two that will go up.

"I think the games have come thick and fast, with two or three in a week, you get mixed results. But not taking anything away from Millwall, they're doing really, really well, and they're having a fine season."

Palmer continued: "I think it's fair to say they're genuine contenders for a play-off place, that is for sure. I can't really make a case for them to be 1st or 2nd. I still think, although they've picked up those results, Burnley, Leeds, Sheffield United and Sunderland are the four strongest teams who will be competing for the two automatic places.

"But Millwall are going along nicely and if they carry on with the results they are, and obviously, beating the likes of Burnley and Leeds United will give them confidence that they can go on a run and try and have an impact on 1st and 2nd, I don't see it myself.

"But they're serious contenders for the play-off places, given that it's a very strong and competitive league."

Millwall have come out on top in close games

Although performances and results have been excellent in the last month for Millwall, there will be one slight fear, and that is just how narrow their margin of victory has been in each of the last four matches.

They have won each game 1-0, coming out on top against Plymouth Argyle, Swansea City, Burnley and Leeds, but this should not be seen as too much of a weakness as it does show just how efficient Harris has made his team.

They had just 25% of possession against the Whites on Wednesday, but made the most of what they had on the ball, keeping the visitors at bay, forcing them mostly to shoot from distance.

This resiliency will be crucial to their success this season, and although there are still more than 30 games to be played, more performances like their one against Leeds will see them towards the positive end of the table, potentially in a play-off place.