Stoke City vs Millwall: Can the Potters' Revival Continue Against Struggling Lions?

Stoke City host Millwall on Wednesday 25 November 2026 at 20:00. Two clubs. Very different momentum. This one matters.

Stoke's Form: Earning It

Three wins from five Championship matches. That is not a fluke. That is a team that has decided to compete.

Stoke beat Derby 1-0. Beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1. Beat Sheffield Utd 2-1. The thing is, all three of those wins were tight. One-goal margins. That tells you this is a side grinding results out rather than coasting. I can respect that.

The loss to Middlesbrough, who put three past them, is a concern. You concede three, you look at your defensive basics. Simple as that. But they responded with a clean sheet against Bristol City in the following match, which shows accountability. They did not sulk. They sorted it.

Their defensive record across these five matches is mixed. Three clean sheets from five is the ceiling according to the data. They have actually kept two. But goals are coming in at both ends, with sixty percent of their recent matches seeing both teams score. Stoke are not a fortress. They are a team that competes and finds a way.

Millwall's Form: No Excuses

Listen, two wins from five is a generous reading of Millwall's situation. One win from five. Two draws. Two losses. That is the actual picture.

Millwall lost to Portsmouth 1-2 and lost to Swansea 0-1. They drew with Lincoln City and drew with West Ham United. Their one win came against Preston, 1-0. That is not a run that fills you with confidence when you are travelling to a side with momentum.

They have kept just one clean sheet in five matches. Their defence is leaking. Seven goals conceded across these five outings. That is not good enough at this level. Desire has to start at the back. Standards have to be set before kick-off. Right now, Millwall's defensive record suggests those standards are not where they need to be.

And then there are the injuries. Three Millwall players are currently sidelined. One long-term absence dating back to August. Two further major injuries, both also from August. That is a squad that has been short for months. It does not excuse the performances. But it is context.

Head to Head: Millwall Won and Won Well

There is only one recorded meeting in the data. Millwall won it 3-1 at Stoke back in April. Dominant. Four goals, both teams on the scoresheet, and Millwall walking away with three points.

That result will sit in the Stoke dressing room. It should. You remember when someone beats you like that. The question is what you do with it. Stoke have a chance to answer that question on Wednesday.

The Bet: Stoke to Win

The thing is, this is straightforward. Stoke are at home. They are in form. Millwall are undermanned and have won once in their last five. Stoke's players know they were beaten badly here seven months ago by this same opponent.

That creates something. Call it motivation, call it standards, call it whatever you want. I call it a reason to back the home side.

I am not interested in covering both teams to score. I am not building an accumulator. One bet. Stoke to win. End of.