Millwall are entrenched in a relegation battle with nine games remaining in what has been a poor Championship campaign for the London side.

After last year’s eighth-place finish, a lot was expected from Neil Harris’ men but having failed to continue their scintillating form; the struggle has been real this season.

The Lions are two places above the dreaded dotted line, outside the bottom three by one point, with a game in hand on their rivals at the bottom.

Three of Millwall’s next four fixtures will provide a daunting task for their survival hopes.

Except for a home clash with Queens Park Rangers next month, Harris’ men face three teams gunning for promotion.

West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United are to come, but this weekend sees the Lions make the trip to Elland Road to take on Leeds United.

And this is the perfect fixture for Millwall and Harris to evoke memories of their recent cup run that ended in cruel fashion prior to the international break.

The league campaign has not gone so well for the London club, but they have excelled in the FA Cup this term.

And Harris needs to approach the trip to Elland Road like a cup tie.

He will need to get over that his side have nothing to lose as they are not expected to get anything against a team fighting it out at the top of the table.

That plays into Millwall’s hands – as the underdog.

They perform to their peak when tagged with that moniker.

Leeds away is somewhat of a free hit, Harris needs to drum it into his player’s heads the philosophy that has worked this year in the knockout games.

It worked against Everton, and it did for 88 minutes against Brighton and Hove Albion – both Premier League opposition.

The Lions were hard to beat and played to their strengths, putting in more effort than they had to give themselves a chance.

If Harris approaches this like a standard league game, his game plan and tactics may see the result end in similar fashion to most of their results this year – defeat.

A cup tie is different, it adds a sense of uncertainty – emulating that and taking from the positive performances in the cup, it gives Millwall the edge, a chance.

It is paramount that Harris approaches this game as if it were a cup tie, and the players respond to that accordingly.

It is probably the only substantial hope of coming away from Elland Road with anything.