Double Millwall injury blow ahead of Leeds United clash as 6-week absence and hamstring issue confirmed
Millwall could be without one of their star men at Leeds United next week.
Millwall are sweating on the fitness of winger Femi Azeez ahead of next week’s trip to Elland Road with fellow wide man Camiel Neghli ruled out.
Leeds United welcome Millwall to West Yorkshire for the second time in just over a month next Wednesday, having fallen to a first home defeat since September in the FA Cup last month. A disjointed performance, admittedly from a much-changed side, saw the Whites lose 2-0 with Azeez scoring both goals and causing his opposition defence plenty of problems.
The 23-year-old has caused problems for other defences since but could miss out when his Millwall side return to Elland Road next week, having been forced off at half-time during the Lions’ 2-0 defeat at home to Bristol City on Tuesday. And following that game, head coach Neil confirmed a hamstring issue was troubling the winger.
Azeez injury latest
“Femi was an outlet for us in the first half,” Neil told Southwark News. “I thought Femi was probably the one that was getting us up the pitch the most and looked as if he could take us up the pitch. What we did need in the game, because they play a back five.
“We need somebody who’s gonna stay wide, get the ball and get us up the pitch and then put crosses in the box. Aidomo [Emakhu] was the perfect fit. I thought Femi was pretty good in the first half. I thought Aidomo was good in the second half doing that role. It certainly wasn’t a tactical thing. He felt his hamstring, so he had to come off.”
Millwall are due at Watford on Saturday before next week’s northbound journey to Elland Road, and so there will be more clarity on Azeez going into the weekend, but even a minor hamstring injury could keep the winger out. His absence would be a massive blow for Neil’s side and possibly a relief for Leeds, who found the tricky wide man hard to handle last month.
Millwall team news
The mid-table Championship side will no doubt do all they can to have Azeez fit for that Elland Road return but one teammate certainly won’t be involved. Fellow winger Camiel Neghli pulled up after stretching to block a first-half shot during last weekend’s 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Crystal Palace, with Neil confirming an ankle injury will keep him out for a significant period.
“Camiel will probably be [out for] about six weeks,” the Millwall boss added. “He’s rolled his ankle. I think he’s done a bit of damage to a couple of ligaments in his ankle. At the moment the timeline I’ve been given is six weeks.”
Millwall will also be without back-up goalkeeper Liam Roberts who is currently serving a ban after his straight red card at Crystal Palace, following a nasty collision that hospitalised Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French striker was left with 25 stitches in his ear and recent reports suggest the FA could look to extend Roberts’ three-game suspension due to the severity of the offence.