Millwall boss on win over Burnley: This was a warm-up for Leeds at The Den on Wednesday

3 November 2024 Richard Cawley

Millwall head coach Neil Harris has talked about today’s 1-0 win over Burnley acting as a “warm-up” for Wednesday night’s Championship clash against Leeds United.

Jake Cooper’s second-half header earned the Lions a third league victory in a row and they are undefeated in five matches in the second tier – impressive form which has pulled them just outside the play-off zone.

Millwall blunted a Burnley side which has been one of the division’s early pacesetters.

Next sees the South Londoner renew their fierce rivalry with Leeds, who are second in the standings.

“We know the atmosphere is going to be electric,” said Harris. “We told the players: ‘This is your warm up for Wednesday. Enjoy it, don’t live off it. We’re back in the training ground tomorrow preparing for Wednesday’.”

Cooper scored his second goal of the campaign to seal maximum points for Millwall. They have won 13 and drawn three of the 16 matches they have taken the lead in since late February.

“Everybody did well,” said Harris. “The shape was excellent. I was delighted for Femi Azeez to come up with another assist – that is two in a row. Jake Cooper – in the big moment – has done it again.

“He (Cooper) gets no protection whatsoever. Because he is a giant it is almost as if people are allowed to hang off him, hold his shirt, push him and pull him to the floor. As soon as he puts his arm up it is a foul the other way.

“We were really disappointed with the officiating in the first half, we felt next to nothing went our way. That transpired into the fanbase getting behind our team, angered the players at half-time and responded accordingly.

“Jake just needs a moment – fantastic header.”

Joe Bryan collected a fifth booking of the season and will be suspended for Leeds.

But the former Fulham full-back also came off after needing treatment after a collision with Japhet Tanganga after the pair cleared a cross.

Millwall would have been down to 10 players defending the resultant corner but Harris brought on Danny McNamara for Bryan.

“He’s fine,” said Harris. “We didn’t make a concussion sub. He just got a whack.

“We were defending a corner and he was on a yellow card already. We just thought it made sense to get Danny on the pitch – he was magnificent when he came on.

“Joe receiving a yellow card so early does make it difficult when you are playing against very attack-minded and quick one-v-one attackers but he did extremely well.”