- 1 Millwall vs Newcastle United: 33 years apart, and a third-round tie that brings it all back
- 2 Millwall: solid enough at home, but a thin cup record
- 3 Newcastle United: a summer of exits, but an unbeaten start to the league season
- 4 Football Prediction Millwall vs Newcastle United
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Millwall vs Newcastle United: 33 years apart, and a third-round tie that brings it all back 
The last meeting between Millwall and Newcastle United came back in 1993. Thirty-three years on, the two clubs meet again in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday 8 September at 20:00 UK time, which is 21:00 in France.
The stage is The Den, a ground where Millwall have shown two completely different sides since the start of the season. Seven goals scored against Bolton and Norwich, none conceded in those two games, then a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Wrexham on 2 September.
Both sides got here by narrow routes. Millwall edged past Cambridge United by the odd goal, scoring in the 9th minute and doing little else after that, while Newcastle had to dig deep to get through against West Bromwich Albion in a 3-2 scrap.
The Magpies’ situation deserves a closer look. The club lost Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon over the summer, as well as head coach Eddie Howe, who was replaced by Matthias Jaissle.
Even so, the rebuild has not produced the damage plenty expected: five points from three Premier League games and still unbeaten. Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth was even rescued after they had trailed by two goals.
That leaves the question of how seriously each side is likely to treat this competition. Millwall’s season is in the Championship, while Newcastle have a squad deep enough to rotate without weakening themselves too much.
Millwall come into this one with form that is hard to pin down. Two straight defeats came before Saturday’s demolition of Bolton, so there are few stable markers heading into this tie.
Millwall: solid enough at home, but a thin cup record 
Millwall sit seventh in the Championship with nine points from a possible 15. Their numbers are balanced: 10 goals scored, eight conceded in five matches.
That leaves the Lions in the top third of the table without quite putting them in the leading pack. Consistency is still missing, with two straight defeats arriving just before last weekend.
Alex Neil’s answer was blunt. Millwall smashed Bolton 4-0 on Saturday, with three of the goals arriving in the final 10 minutes, according to the match count.
At home, the picture is mixed. Three home games this season have brought two clean wins against Bolton and Norwich, with a combined score of 7-0, and a 3-0 defeat to Wrexham that clouds the picture.
The injury list is having an impact on selection. Josh Coburn, Casper De Norre and Tristan Crama are dealing with muscle issues, while Ryan Leonard, Mihailo Ivanovic and Mathis Servais are out with hamstring problems.
In cup terms, the record is clear. Millwall have not gone beyond the third round since a quarter-final run in 1994-95, and they lost on penalties at this same stage last season against Crystal Palace.
Alex Neil is expected to rotate from the side that started against Bolton, with Danny Batth, Jake Cooper and Elkan Baggott all in line for defensive starts.
The midfield is likely to change too. Jenson Metcalfe, Luke Cundle and Alfie Massey are tipped to make up the centre of the pitch, with Lyndon Dykes leading the line.
The competition format matters here. A Championship season runs for 46 matches, a third-round cup tie is settled in one night, and the Lions have already made clear where their priorities lie.
Try it for $0.99.
Newcastle United: a summer of exits, but an unbeaten start to the league season 
Three Premier League games, five points, no defeats: Newcastle have started better than their summer window suggested they might. The exits of Guimaraes, Tonali and Gordon could have knocked the side badly off balance.
Matthias Jaissle has steadied things quicker than expected. The 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on 29 August was the clearest sign yet of that opening stretch.
That result also carried statistical weight. It ended a run of five away games without a win, a spell in which the Magpies had conceded 13 and scored four.
Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth rounds out the picture. Two goals down, Newcastle came back, which says plenty about their backbone and the options they can call on from the bench.
The injury list is manageable. Dan Burn, Joelinton and William Osula are out, but none of those absences stops the visitors from fielding a competitive side at The Den.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo, signed from Lille just before the close of the 2026 summer window, should make his first start for the club. He could line up in an attack completed by Bazoumana Toure, Alfie Harrison and Yoane Wissa.
In midfield, Aladji Bamba looks a credible option alongside Lewis Miley. The lack of experience in that pairing is the main question mark over this heavily changed team.
Seventh place in the Premier League after three games gives a fair read on this group. Newcastle have already faced Liverpool, Tottenham and Bournemouth, a far tougher run than the one their Tuesday opponents have handled.
Expected Millwall XI: Crocombe ; Batth, Cooper, Baggott ; Osei-Tutu, Metcalfe, Massey, Cundle, Kelly ; Lovelace, Dykes
Expected Newcastle United XI: Jaouen ; Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Hall ; Bamba, Miley ; Toure, Harrison, Fernandez-Pardo ; Wissa
Football Prediction Millwall vs Newcastle United
Our prediction: Newcastle United to win
The gap in level between a seventh-place Championship side and a seventh-place Premier League side remains the biggest factor in this game. Newcastle have taken five points from nine against Liverpool, Tottenham and Bournemouth, a much tougher run than Millwall’s.
Squad depth also points one way. Newcastle have only three absentees and can bring Fernandez-Pardo in alongside Wissa, while Millwall are juggling six players in the treatment room and have made their Championship focus plain.
The 3-0 defeat to Wrexham at The Den five days ago showed that the London ground is no longer the fortress it once was. The Magpies get through.
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
_________
First, a word on our free predictions
- What we publish on mathodds is analysis, nothing more. We are sharing an opinion, a read on the moment, but never a guarantee. Sport is what it is: unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a goal from nowhere… and the script changes completely.
- Let’s be clear: there is no risk-free bet. Even when it looks “obvious”, nothing really is. And yes, that means you can lose. It is inevitable at some point.
- The best approach is to keep things sensible. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. Above all, don’t touch money you need to live on. And never chase your losses; that usually ends badly.
- A bet should stay a game, not a job or a source of income. If you feel it’s taking up too much space in your daily life, if it’s winding you up or putting you under pressure, take a break. And if needed, speak to a specialist organisation. That’s what it’s there for.
- In the end, responsibility sits with you. Reading our content means accepting that risk exists and will never go away, even with the best analysis in the world.
- Essential reminder: betting is forbidden for minors and must comply with the law in your country. Gambling can spiral fast (money lost, family tension, addiction). Need Help? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the UK? Visit https://www.gambleaware.org/https://www.gambleaware.org/.
No commitment from us
Our predictions are not a contract. They have no legal force. In plain terms: you cannot use them to claim anything if a bet fails.
Information changes
A prediction is always based on what we know at the time of writing. But between then and now, a team sheet changes (like Millwall’s, for example), a player gets injured, the weather turns… and the analysis can quickly be out of date. We cannot be held responsible for that.
Your role
Before you bet, simply check that betting is legal where you are. If it isn’t, that’s your responsibility, not ours.
Responsible gambling first
We can’t say it enough: play in moderation. If you’re struggling to stay in control, don’t wait to get help. We cannot be responsible for compulsive or excessive use of the information published on the site.
Legal age
mathodds content is for adults only. By browsing here, you confirm you are of legal age to bet.
About the images…
The images and logos of Millwall and Newcastle United shown on mathodds, including those linked to the EFL Cup, are there only to illustrate our articles. They do not mean we have an official link with any federation or sports organisation, and we do not claim any rights over them.
Those rights belong to the original creators. If, despite our care, any image causes a problem, contact us: it will be removed without delay.
Our only aim with these images is to make the reading experience better. Nothing more. No commercial gain, no taking credit for other people’s work.
Leave a Reply