“Big part” – Experienced midfield pairing earn praise from Millwall chief for part they played in West Brom draw

Gary Rowett has talked about George Saville and Ryan Leonard playing “a big part” in Millwall claiming a point at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Both midfielders have played more than 400 first-team matches with Saville also capped by Northern Ireland.

And their know-how helped the Lions disrupt West Bromwich Albion’s flow.

Rowett told the South London Press: “Saturday was one of those games where I was tempted to start Shacks (Jamie Shackleton) because we felt (Jayson) Molumby would be playing and the forward-running that he does.

“I went for that experience, in the end. They showed it. Sav was excellent and Lenny has got better and better with every game. He is so powerful and covers ground so well. He covers counter-attacks and he is the one sprinting back in. He’s very, very athletic.

“Sav used all his experience, on the ball and off the ball. He played the game how you think someone who has played that many games of football, and international football, would play it.

“He was good on the ball. He was very good off the ball and made some excellent runs. He nicked one off someone in the second half, got in front of them and put a great cross in. Those little moments, you need your senior players to step up a little bit at this stage of the season. In a way, it’s always easier to pick your senior players because you know they have been here before and they know what it is all about.

“It doesn’t mean they are going to be the best players on the pitch but they have usually handled it before. Those two were a big part of us getting a positive result, which is what I see it as. Anyone who goes to West Brom and gets a clean sheet, limits them to very little, has had to perform really well.”