Millwall v Ipswich Town: Kieran McKenna's pre-match thoughts

The Blues have won just one of their last nine league tussles, having faced a murderers' row of opponents including league-leaders Leicester City (twice), red-hot Leeds United, plus West Brom, Sunderland and rivals Norwich City.

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Tomorrow's trip to struggling Millwall looks - on paper at least - a chance to kick start their faltering automatic promotion push as they begin a lengthy run against sides in the lower reaches of the division.

Kieran McKenna's Town have won just one of their last nine league games (Image: Steve Waller)
But McKenna insisted: "Every game is so tough, for any team - but especially a newly-promoted team.

“There’s not one fixture there which we’ll look at and think that will be a comfortable three points, because the Championship proves that every weekend and if we were ever to think that we would quickly be punished.

“Especially away from home, travelling to Millwall and Swansea, that’s going to be difficult.

READ MORE: Stuart Watson's predictions for Town's next nine games

“But at the same time, we know we’re coming out the back of a lot of fixtures against teams in the top half of the division and I think in general we’ve showed that we can compete well against anyone.

“That’s something that everyone at the club should take great pride in and now we’ll look to go and show that consistency over the next few games and see how many good performances we can have and how many points we can pick up.”

Massimo Luongo was among Town's scorers when they beat Millwall 3-1 at home at the end of November (Image: PA Images)
Of Millwall - who sit 18th in the table and have only won once this year - McKenna added:  “It’ll be a tough game, no doubt about it – Millwall away on a Wednesday night in February, with February weather and February pitches, that’s not easy.

“They’ve improved, he’s (new boss Joe Edwards) got a good feel for the squad that he’s got and he’s added a couple of good players.

“Japhet Tanganga I know well from Tottenham, (Michael) Obafemi’s a really dangerous striker, so they’ve added to the group and worked together for a while now, and they’ve shown that in some of the positive results they’ve picked up.

“We know it will be a tough game.”

Millwall boss Joe Edwards has watched his side slow down the table after a poor run of form (Image: PA)
He continued: “They’re going to be fighting for the points, as are we. They’ve not been winning as much lately, but they’re in every game and they’re a tough opponent.

“They gave Coventry a really tough game at their place on Sunday (2-1 defeat) and we know we’re in for a really tough game.

“We played them not that long ago as well, and that always provides a challenge as the other team have had a really good look at you.

“We know we’re going to have to be right at it.”