Millwall and Derby County will resume their 2019/20 season this weekend when they meet at The Den as the Championship returns for the first time in over three months.

As things stand, both have aspirations of reaching the play-offs with nine games of the season remaining, but emphasis will be on starting well during this nine-game mini season.

In their previous meeting, Gary Rowett enjoyed a winning return to Pride Park on December 14^th, with the Lions securing a 1-0 win against Derby thanks to Tom Bradshaw’s 25^th minute goal.

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Bradshaw finished emphatically on the back of Shaun Hutchinson’s lofted ball over the top, with the finish deserving of the three points it won Millwall, who only endured a few nervy moments through Martyn Waghorn.

Since then, Millwall have shown some real consistency under Rowett and that has left them eighth in the table and in a strong position to challenge the top-six in the coming nine games.

There’s emphasis on starting positively, but Derby won’t be an easy opponent, with Phillip Cocu’s side improving gradually, with the high-profile arrival of Wayne Rooney giving them an extra boost in the middle of the park.

They are 12^th and five points adrift of the play-offs, and whilst their initial focus will be on closing that gap, they’d love nothing more than getting one over their ex-boss, Rowett.

The Rowett factor gives this one that little bit of spice, but the play-off picture is the wider story.

Repeating that 1-0 win over Derby will leave Millwall in such a strong position, whilst there is huge pressure on the Rams to start well if they have any chance of breaking into the top-six.

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