This Saturday, London will tremble as one of the most intense derbies in English football history unfolds. Millwall will host West Ham at The Den in a Championship clash. This marks the first official meeting of these fierce rivals since February 2012 and the centenary of their historic encounters.
The clubs approach the derby in contrasting states. Nuno Espirito Santo's side currently sits at the top of the Championship following an emphatic 6-0 victory over Wrexham last time out, despite a slip in the League Cup against Fulham (2-3).
West Ham’s manager has urged his players to resist the provocation of the crowd:
Each of us has experienced matches like this, which hold immense significance for our clubs. Throughout my career, I’ve played in several derbies, and so have most of our players. We understand very well that everything is decided solely on the pitch. The game is dictated on the grass, not by external noise. It doesn’t matter if there are 20,000 fans or 40,000—only football counts. Of course, this is a special match, and we are fully aware of that.
The home side is enduring a severe squad crisis, with Millwall’s manager Alex Neil facing the challenge of 14 players in the treatment room. Just last Tuesday, his team surged to a 2-0 lead away at Middlesbrough, but a disastrous collapse resulted in a 2-2 draw due to sheer fatigue.
However, the Scottish coach has ruled out any complaints about a hectic schedule:
This clash means incredibly much to everyone involved. We will give everything on the pitch. If anyone needs extra motivation for a match like this, they shouldn’t be playing football at all.
