Millwall manager Alex Neil is facing a selection headache ahead of a critical period in the Championship season, with two key players racing to be fit following injuries sustained on international duty.
International Break Setback for Lions Duo
The international break has delivered an unwelcome blow to Millwall's preparations for the return of league football. Mihailo Ivanovic and Daniel Kelly were forced to withdraw from their respective national squads—Serbia and the Scotland under-21s—and have returned to the club for assessment and treatment.
Providing an update to NewsAtDen, Alex Neil detailed the issues. "Both of the lads picked up knocks," the manager confirmed. "Dan is still feeling his quad and his hamstring. He didn’t really train enough for us to involve him in the last game, but we did because we had a lack of numbers in that area."
The situation is particularly frustrating for Kelly, who had only just returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him from September until early November.
Fitness Race for Key Championship Clashes
The timing of these injuries is far from ideal, with a congested fixture list on the horizon. Millwall's immediate focus is a trip to 20th-place Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon.
Should either Ivanovic or Kelly be unavailable for that match, they would also be major doubts for the following Wednesday's home game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Neil remained cautious about Ivanovic's prospects, stating, "We’ll see how the rest of the week pans out. We’re expecting him to train today, so we’ll see how he looks. But I don’t want to say yeah and then he’s not available. Or vice versa."
Potential Impact on Play-Off Push
Any extended absence for Ivanovic would be a significant boost to Millwall's upcoming opponents. The defender, who scored 12 Championship goals last season, has recently found his form, netting a crucial equaliser in the Lions' last outing against Preston North End.
His potential unavailability is a major concern for a Millwall side that currently clings to the final play-off spot in sixth place. The team is seeking its first league victory since a 1-0 win over Leicester City at the end of August, having drawn with Oxford United and Preston, and suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Birmingham City.
With the Championship season still in its early stages, managing these fitness concerns effectively could be pivotal to Millwall's ambitions of maintaining a top-six challenge.
