Reaction from Dean Holden to Charlton’s victory in Devon

Charlton bounced back from their League One loss at home to Bolton last weekend with a 2-1 win at Exeter today.

Addicks boss Dean Holden: “[The away form] was poor before I came in. I think it’s important to keep our season alive for as long as possible.”

We must keep Charlton’s season alive for as long as possible – Addicks boss Dean Holden following triumph at Exeter

No early info on Mason Bennett’s injury

Millwall boss Gary Rowett has been in to do post-match and couldn’t say for certain exactly what injury Mason Bennett sustained. The Lions attacker was stretchered off the pitch at half-time.

Millwall boss Rowett not able to say yet if Mason Bennett’s injury is a fracture

FT: Millwall 1 Sunderland 1

A bruising game at The Den finished all square. The Lions had looked set to go as high as fifth at one stage but end the day in seventh, one point behind West Bromwich Albion. Need to see the Sunderland leveller back, but George Long didn’t have bundles of saves to make this afternoon and his decision to come for the free-kick ended up backfiring as Dennis Cirkin got there first. I’d imagine the visitors will be more happy with the draw.

FT: Exeter City 1 Charlton Athletic 2

A third away win of the campaign! Charlton saw the game out well – Exeter didn’t really create much in the second half until Stansfield slashed wide in added-time and Maynard-Brewer’s fine stop from Kite. The Addicks perhaps should have added a third on the break late on, but they hold on to make it four wins from five games. The upturn in form under Dean Holden continues.

FT: Leyton Orient 1-0 AFC Wimbledon

George Moncur’s strike in the 64th minute the difference and the hosts stay top of League Two. 

A flat performance from the Dons, but it was a game with little quality. Diallang Jaiyesimi had an effort cleared off the line. Dons failed to take their chances.

FT: Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace

It’s all over here at Old Trafford. Palace’s lack of a goalscorer has cost them dear.

83 mins Millwall 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland sub Dennis Cirkin has levelled it up at The Den but has been subbed off after being clattered by Millwall keeper George Long, who tried to get to the free-kick delivery first.

80 mins: Leyton Orient 0-0 AFC Wimbledon

Jaiyesimi has an effort cleared off the line!

78 mins: Exeter City 1-2 Charlton Athletic

Charlton nearly out of sight. Blackman makes a strong block to deny Blackett-Taylor after a purposeful break led to Rak-Sakyi’s low cross. Miles Leaburn has been introduced in place of Macauley Bonne.

79 mins: Millwall 1 Sunderland 0

Millwall being asked a few more questions defensively since the goal. Charlie Cresswell has channelled his inner Tony Craig, celebrating a sliding block on Patrick Roberts’ shot. Sunderland man had made a storming run from deep in his own half right into the Lions box.

75 mins: Manchester United 2-1 Palace

Jeffrey Schlupp pulls one back for Palace. He redirects Doucoure’s effort into the net. Game on!

66 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace – red card Casemiro!

The Brazilian is sent off for throttling Will Hughes.

64 mins: Leyton Orient 1-0 AFC Wimbledon 

The hosts have broken the deadlock. George Moncur danced his way past Chris Gunter and drilled a shot beyond Tzanev.

Jackson responds by bringing on Jaiyesimi for his Wimbledon debut.

62 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace

It’s 2-0 United. Rashford turns home Garnacho’s pass. Expect a raft of changes from Palace with Lokonga coming on for his debut.

62 mins: Exeter City 1-2 Charlton Athletic

The Addicks had to weather a bit of a storm at the start of the second half. City forced four corners inside the opening exchanges but the Addicks kept them all at bay. Charlton have grown into the half since then – Blackett-Taylor has just tested Blackman from the edge of the area. 

GOAL! 60 mins Millwall 1 Sunderland 0

The Lions have built up a head of steam this half, and now they are ahead. A grounded Jake Cooper hooks the ball in from a George Honeyman corner. Just moments before that Patterson had turned Honeyman’s shot around his left post. Murray Wallace has also clipped top of the bar with a header.

56 mins: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace

Rashford cuts inside and goes close for the hosts. Schlupp has been really bright in this spell. He has made a couple of driving runs forward.

54 mins: Leyton Orient 0-0 AFC Wimbledon

Golden chance for the Dons. Ethan Chislett was played through by Josh Davison and left one on one with Vigouroux.

However, the South African failed to hit the target when closing down on goal.

46 mins: Millwall 0 Sunderland 0

Duncan Watmore is on for his debut, but not in the way he or anyone else wanted. Mason Bennett stretchered off at half-time and the early feeling is that there is some kind of fracture to his right leg.

HT: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace

Palace have crept into the game in the final five minutes of the first half. United had been dominant up to that point. The Eagles’ shining light has been the adroit Olise. Schlupp has worked hard in an advanced role, but De Gea in United’s goal won’t have had many quieter halves this term. Patrick Vieira will need to find a way to get his forward players more support on the counter attack, if his team are not to go an eighth Premier League game without scoring in open play.

HT: Leyton Orient 0-0 AFC Wimbledon 

One for the football purists. No side could argue that they deserve to be ahead at the break. Ali Al-Hamadi went close for the Dons and Kieran Salier tested Nik Tzanev. Richie Wellens has been booked, so one to keep an eye on. Wimbledon have such strength and depth on the bench. They will be hoping Huseyin Biler’s injury is not a serious one. The first 45 minutes would not have looked out of place in a boxing ring.

HT: Exeter City 1 Charlton Athletic 2

A remarkable half. Charlton raced into a two-goal lead through Rak-Sakyi’s stunning volley and Blackett-Taylor’s calm finish. But Exeter find themselves back in the game thanks to Mitchell’s far-post volley – he snuck in on Sean Clare’s blindside. The Grecians forced Maynard-Brewer into a pair of smart saves after halving the deficit. Matt Penney made a goal-saving block at the very end of the half as well with Caprice looking likely to score. Charlton currently on course for just a third away win of the League One campaign – but there’s plenty of football to be played in this one yet. 

HT: Millwall 0 Sunderland 0

Charlie Cresswell had his head in his hands after lashing over the bar from close-range. All came from a Lions corner which hadn’t been cleared. Not been loads of updates this half as very little goalmouth incident. Home fans annoyed that ref Bramall hasn’t booked any Sunderland players with Cooper and Bennett both carded. Worrying scenes now as Bennett went down just seconds before the half-time whistle and medical staff attending to him – his right leg in a protective brace.

42 mins: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace

The Eagles have had a handful of chances. Chris Richards headed over from a Michael Olise corner and Jeffrey Schlupp forced a save from De Gea from distance.

37 mins: Leyton Orient 0-0 AFC Wimbledon 

Free-kick to Wimbledon on the edge of the box – Lee Brown slices it wide. Dead-ball specialist Ethan Chilsett was also stood over the ball. Richie Wellens has been booked by referee Martin Woods.

Armani Little has been outstanding so far.

Ali Al-Hamadi bursts past the Orient defence on a counter attack but can’t place a shot from a difficult angle past Lawrence Vigouroux.

GOAL! 31 mins: Exeter City 1-2 Charlton Athletic [Mitchell]

The hosts are back in it. Charlton fail to spot the deep run from Demetri Mitchell. The substitute, only on the field for four minutes, volleys home. Ashley Maynard-Brewer then makes a big save after a scramble at a corner to preserve Charlton’s lead.

29 mins: Millwall 0 Sunderland 0

Crescendo of boos in the home areas at The Den. It looked as if George Honeyman had put the Lions ahead, poking home from close range after Anthony Patterson couldn’t hold Zian Flemming’s shot. But the celebrations were cut short by the assistant referee. After a discussion between the officials the goal was ruled out for offside.

21 mins: Leyton Orient 0-0 AFC Wimbledon

A close game this. Sadlier tested Tzanev earlier in the game and Chislett fired one just wide. Options on the bench could play a huge factor in this contest.

23 mins: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace

First quarter all United. Palace struggling get any kind of foothold in the game.

No real threat from the visitors.

GOAL! 18 mins: Exeter City 0-2 Charlton Athletic (Blackett-Taylor)

That slow start is a distant memory now. Corey Blackett-Taylor shows great composure to hold off his defender before slotting beyond Jamal Blackman. Fifth goal of the campaign for the wideman.

19 Mins: Millwall 0-0 Sunderland

Plenty of industry on show in SE16. Zian Flemming has made a couple of vital defensive contributions, including tackling Amad Diallo as he looked to surge one-v-one against Danny McNamara. Mason Bennett has also put a first-time effort narrowly wide from Honeyman’s low cross.

GOAL! 7 Mins: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace [Fernandes]

Bruno Fernandes send Vicente Guaita the wrong way from the spot. 1-0.

United were awarded the penalty after the ball hit Will Hughes’ hand. It was always going to be given.

Palace are under pressure and need to reign their composure.

GOAL! 8 mins: Exeter City 0-1 Charlton Athletic [Rak-Sakyi]

That is a quite superb goal. George Dobson chips a measured ball into the area but the left-footed volley from Palace loanee Jes Rak-Sakyi oozed class. Against the run of play but the Addicks will take it.

7 mins: Exeter City 0 Charlton Athletic 0

The hosts have come flying out of the blocks. They’ve already forced two corners and had a penalty shout for a potential foul by debutant Kilkenny turned down. Charlton need to get a foothold. Over 1,100 Addicks have made their way to Devon.

Not long to go now

Bit of Oasis now to pump things up even more here.

Millwall’s form at The Den in the Championship is excellent – eight unbeaten since they lost to QPR here.

Record since – WWWWDDDW

Not long to go now

Charlton Athletic’s players being put through their paces.

Picture by Sean Gosling (@SeanGosling5 on Twitter)

Teamsheet time

Should be a cracking atmosphere at The Den with the match a complete sellout.

Here’s the teamsheet for today’s fixture.

Crystal Palace team news

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Guaita; Clyne, Richards, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Hughes; Ayew, Olise, Schlupp; Edouard. Subs: Milivojevic, Lokonga, Eze, Mateta, Johnstone, Ahamada, Whitworth, Riedewald.

News signings Albert Sambi Lokonga and Naouirou Ahamada are named on the bench by Patrick Vieira.

Eberechi Eze is absent from the starting 11.

Wimbledon team news

AFC Wimbledon are unchanged after their 1-0 win against Stockport last time out. Charlton loanee Diallang Jaiyesimi is named on the bench alongside deadline day arrival Aaron Pierre.

AFC Wimbledon: [4-2-3-1] Tzanev; Biler, Kalambayi, Pearce, Brown; Woodyard, Little, Pell; Al-Hamadi, Chislett and Davison.

Subs: Broome, Gunter, Marsh, Janneh, Jaiyesimi, Pierre, Currie.

Charlton team news

Deadline day signing Gavin Kilkenny comes straight in to make his Charlton debut as Dean Holden makes just one change from the side beaten by Bolton. The Bournemouth loanee replaces Albie Morgan in the starting line-up as he plays his first competitive minutes since appearing for Stoke on loan in August.

Fellow late arrival Michael Hector is not fit enough to feature yet – he is set to play for the u21s in the week. Morgan drops to the bench. He is joined by Terell Thomas, who is included amongst the substitutes instead of the departing Eoghan O’Connell.

Steven Sessegnon has travelled but is not in the squad after suffering a reoccurrence of his swollen knee problem. Charlton [4-3-3]: Maynard-Brewer; Clare, Inniss, Ness, Penney; Dobson, Kilkenny, Fraser; Rak-Sakyi, Bonne, Blackett-Taylor. Subs: Harness, Morgan, Thomas, Payne, Henry, Leaburn, Campbell.

Millwall team news

Full team line-ups to follow shortly from The Den but the BIG news ahead of kick-off is that Shaun Hutchinson misses out due to injury, which means a first-team return for Charlie Cresswell. Oliver Burke and Duncan Watmore are both on the bench. George Evans drops out of the matchday 18.

Leyton Orient v AFC Wimbledon preview

By Edmund Brack 

AFC Wimbledon travel to top-of-the-table Leyton Orient this afternoon looking to break into the League Two play-off places. 

Despite being the league leaders, Richie Wellins’ side have suffered back-to-back defeats and could lose their top spot this afternoon should the Dons prevail at Brisbane Road and Stevenage beat Sutton.

Wimbledon picked up their first three points of 2023 last time out – a gutsy 1-0 win over Stockport County.

Aaron Pierre, Kasey McAteer and Diallang Jaiyesimi were deadline-day arrivals for Johnnie Jackson’s side.

Wimbledon won the reverse fixture 2-0 at Plough Lane back in November – goals from Harry Pell and Ayoub Assal the difference.

The Dons are just three points off the top seven.

Exeter City v Charlton Athletic preview

Millwall v Sunderland preview

By Richard Cawley

SLP on the road

Our crack team of SLP reporters have all four teams covered this afternoon. 

@RichCawleySLP is at The Den.

@SellsAdam has ventured up to Old Trafford.

@LouisMend arrived in Exeter at 10:13 am.

@EdmundBrack has made the journey across London to Brisbane Road.

Welcome! 

The January transfer window has closed for our South London sides. 

We’re into the business end of the season, and we have lots left to play for. 

Crystal Palace head to Manchester United, looking to pick up their first three points of 2023.

Millwall host Sunderland, with the Lions aiming to break into the Championship play-off spots.

Charlton are looking to get back to winning ways down at Exeter.

And AFC Wimbledon – looking to break into the top seven of League Two – are away to Leyton Orient.