Southampton and Millwall kicked off the new year with a tense, hard-fought 0-0 draw at St Mary’s Stadium, a result that leaves both teams searching for answers as the Championship season heats up. With both sides eager to reverse recent slumps, the match was marked by missed opportunities, tactical adjustments, and a sense of urgency that failed to translate into goals.
Coming into this January 1, 2026, clash, Southampton were desperate to snap a four-game winless streak. The Saints, relegated from the Premier League last season, have struggled to adjust to the Championship’s relentless pace, sitting 14th in the table at kickoff—a far cry from their top-flight days. Their visitors, Millwall, arrived on the South Coast as surprise play-off contenders, holding seventh place but themselves winless in five of their last six outings. Manager Alex Neil’s side, hampered by injuries, were still chasing a first second-tier play-off berth since 2001/02.
Team news ahead of the match was dominated by injury lists and selection headaches. Southampton were without key striker Ross Stewart, who’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury since October, while defensive mainstay Mads Roerslev remained out with a knee problem. Winger Samuel Edozie and midfielder Shea Charles also missed out due to hamstring issues, cutting into the Saints’ attacking options. For Millwall, loanee Will Smallbone was unavailable with a similar hamstring complaint, and goalkeeper Lukas Jensen was absent after a quadriceps injury sustained with the under-21s. The visitors’ list of absentees also included Luke Cundle, Casper De Norre, Derek Mazou-Sacko, and Josh Coburn, forcing Neil to shuffle his lineup yet again.
Millwall made four changes from their previous outing, with Femi Azeez returning from suspension to start on the right wing. Camiel Neghli was shifted inside, Thierno Ballo slotted in on the left, and Ryan Leonard partnered Alfie Doughty in midfield—Leonard’s first start since November 1. Macaulay Langstaff led the line, as Mihailo Ivanovic missed out with a knock picked up against Bristol City. Southampton, meanwhile, fielded a predicted 3-4-3 formation with Gavin Bazunu between the posts, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Nathan Wood anchoring the defense, and Adam Armstrong spearheading the attack, hoping to end his own four-game goal drought.
From the opening whistle, both teams showed intent. Millwall, undeterred by their injury woes, nearly broke through inside two minutes when Azeez whipped in a low cross that fizzed dangerously across the face of goal. Southampton gradually seized control of possession, but their efforts in the final third left much to be desired. Cameron Archer squandered a promising chance, failing to connect with Nathan Wood’s header from a Ryan Manning free-kick. The Saints would finish the afternoon with just two shots on target, a statistic that summed up their attacking frustrations.
Millwall’s counterattacking threat was evident throughout, with Azeez a constant menace on the break. One of the visitors’ best moments came when Azeez surged forward and found Ballo, who forced Bazunu into his first real save of the match. At the other end, Jack Stephens tested Millwall keeper Max Crocombe, but the Lions’ shot-stopper was equal to the task.
The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock arrived courtesy of Harwood-Bellis. Rising to meet Leo Scienza’s corner from just two yards out, the defender seemed certain to score, only for Crocombe to produce a stunning point-blank save that kept the game goalless. Ballo had another opportunity ten minutes into the second half after being played in by Langstaff, but the Austrian’s effort flew wide, much to the relief of the home crowd.
Southampton pressed harder as the match wore on, with Finn Azaz’s dangerous cross causing panic in the Millwall box before the visitors managed to scramble clear. Deep into stoppage time, Azaz had a golden chance to snatch victory, but his shot was blocked after Adam Armstrong’s cutback. Harwood-Bellis then headed wide with virtually the last action of the game, leaving Saints fans groaning in frustration.
After the final whistle, both managers offered their perspectives on a contest that, while lacking goals, was rich in tactical intrigue. Southampton boss Tonda Eckert, who took permanent charge in December after a brief interim spell, expressed mixed emotions. "If you draw a game, it depends what happens after. If we can bring home a good result against Middlesbrough, there will be positives to take here. We could have won the game at the end. I’m happy with the clean sheet, we work very hard on that. We didn’t take our chances," Eckert told BBC Radio Solent. He also praised the squad’s depth, noting, "It is four games in 10 days, I was happy with the boys who came in and played today. It is the second game in a row we’ve had a good impact from the bench."
On the other side, Millwall manager Alex Neil was upbeat about his team’s display, despite the lack of cutting edge. "It was a great performance. We changed our shape again for a number of reasons. We were the better side and we had the better chances. We’ve drawn with Ipswich, beat Bristol City and come here. For what we’ve got available, I thought it was terrific. We had opportunities, we didn’t have the cutting edge to finish them off. Our game plan was to turn the ball over and create on the counter; the balance was excellent. I couldn’t be more pleased with the lads," Neil told BBC Radio London.
The draw leaves Southampton winless in five games, stuck in mid-table and facing the prospect of their worst league finish since their stint in League One from 2009 to 2011. For Millwall, now seventh and just outside the play-off spots on goal difference, the point is valuable but not quite enough to reignite their promotion push. Both teams will need to find sharper finishing and greater consistency if they’re to meet their respective ambitions in the weeks ahead.
As the dust settles, Southampton turn their attention to a crucial clash with Middlesbrough, hoping to turn possession into points and finally break their winless streak. Millwall, meanwhile, look to regroup, get key players fit, and push back into the play-off places. The new year has begun with a stalemate, but for both clubs, the real battles are just beginning.
