Former Cardiff City striker Neil Harris can strike a massive blow in favour of the Bluebirds at the New Den this evening.
Millwall manager Harris and his Lions take on a Fulham team who are Cardiff’s biggest rivals for the second automatic promotion slot.
Leaders Wolves have already secured their place in the Premier Division, while Harris underlined how important Friday’s London derby is for his team.
“This is the biggest game of the season for a country mile,” says Harris. “We have to make sure we contain Fulham and defend as diligently as we have all season.
“It’s a great opportunity for us as a football club to really enjoy a massive occasion. It doesn’t get much better than this.
“We have put ourselves into a wonderful position, trying to sustain that play-off push.
“Fulham are an excellent football team, they have top players. Manager Slaviša Jokanović has done a great job as manager over the last few years. They were unlucky in the play-offs last season and, like us, they’re on a great run.
“We never thought we’d be talking about this after 43 games. Friday night under the lights and a London derby – it doesn’t get any better than that.
“I can’t wait to go and see my players perform and the message will be clear – go out and enjoy it.
“We have to impose ourselves on the game too, though. There are going to be times in the game when Fulham are going to dominate the ball and we’ll have to be patient, but that’s not changed in three years of my time in charge.
“We’ve got three huge games left.”
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock says he will be watching the Millwall v Fulham match on Sky Go, while he wasn’t disturbed by the attempts of Jokanović to put mental pressure on the Welsh team.
“Between the three and four games we have, the pressure will be there on everybody whether you’re second or third.
“That’s not going to change. We can all talk a good game, but you’d expect pressure to be on at this time of year, with what’s at stake.”
Cardiff City take on Nottingham Forest at home on Saturday (7.45pm) and if Fulham fail to win at Millwall there is no question the pressure on Jokanović and his boys will be intense.
“There’s not a good film on, so I’ll be watching tonight,” said Warnock. “The kick-off times are becoming ludicrous.
“I watch Friday night games on the magical Sky Go while we’re away, but don’t necessarily watch every game. It’s a cracking game tonight, as they all are now.
“I don’t how how it will go. Fulham have the quality, but Millwall are resolved, a good group, very similar to our lads. They’ve punched above their weight and they’re enjoying it.”
Warnock, though, is far more focused on his own team, who have won seven of their last eight league matches against Forest and drawn the other.
There is no question Warnock has transformed the Bluebirds. They are powerful, direct, robust and hugely effective team.
They do not have the extra quality and outstanding skill in certain areas, but they are perfectly drilled and can complete a Championship double with a win at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday evening.
Forest’s home match against Cardiff was far from a classic, but Warnock’s warriors squeezed the life out of the home team and absolutely deserved all three points.
It is also true that Cardiff have an abundance of ability and skill. Junior Hoilett has been a revelation this season, while Warnock has hailed striker Gary Madine’s contribution to the Championship promotion bid.
Madine cost £6m when signed from Bolton and there are critics, but Warnock says he has ‘never been happier’ with a player he has signed.
“We would not be anywhere near where we are now if Gary had not signed,” says Warnock.
“The best thing from Gary’s point of view is that I believe in him.
“I know what he does for the squad, I know what he does for the team whether he is on the bench or whether he starts. I am absolutely delighted we have him.
“We will have critics because strikers are judged on goals aren’t they? But I saw his contribution at Bramall Lane where only he would have made that strong header for the equaliser.
“And I thought last Saturday (v Norwich) he softened them up a little bit for Ken coming on and that was instrumental on why Ken had a bit more space than he would do normally.
“I think he has a major contribution. He won’t be everybody’s favourite because he does not score goals, does not do this, does not do that and because we have paid good money for him.
“He will have that to carry. But he knows what I think about him that is the main thing for the player what the manager thinks.
“I have never been happier with a signing. I did not think we would manage it in January. I have been absolutely delighted. With no Danny Ward out, we had no other options.
“We would not be anywhere near where we are now if he had not signed – it’s spurred Ken on and the competition has brought the best out of him.”
Jamie Ward and Armand Traore are on loan with Cardiff and can’t be involved in Saturday’s match, while Lee Tomlin is unavailable for Forest for the same reason.
Warnock admits he is bemused by a Saturday evening kick-off, saying: “I’ve been a manager 38 years and never thought I’d see a game of football kick off at 7.45pm on a Saturday night.
“But whatever the numbers, I want the fans who can come to get behind us and make a good shout of it. They’ve done really well at home and away this season and they’ve been instrumental in how well we’ve done.
“When I’m bored and I have five minutes, I do click on to the fans’ forums and things. Sometimes I do wish I could reply to some comments, but maybe it’s just as well that I can’t!”
Championship – Current Table
| | HOME | | AWAY | |||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Wolves | 43 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 47 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 18 | +42 | 95 (P) |
| 2 | Cardiff | 42 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 38 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 26 | 20 | +29 | 83 |
| 3 | Fulham | 43 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 38 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 35 | 26 | +31 | 82 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 43 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 22 | +27 | 79 |
| 5 | Middlesbro | 43 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 30 | 25 | +19 | 69 |
| 6 | Millwall | 43 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 22 | +15 | 69 |
| 7 | Derby | 42 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 33 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 28 | 25 | +18 | 68 |
| 8 | Preston | 43 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 25 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 29 | 24 | +9 | 66 |
| 9 | Sheff Utd | 43 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 33 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 25 | 31 | +8 | 66 |
| 10 | Brentford | 43 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 34 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 26 | +11 | 65 |
| 11 | Bristol C | 43 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 26 | 30 | +10 | 65 |
| 12 | Ipswich | 43 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 33 | -3 | 56 |
| 13 | Norwich | 43 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 30 | -8 | 56 |
| 14 | Leeds | 43 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 26 | 35 | -7 | 54 |
| 15 | QPR | 43 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 35 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 35 | -11 | 53 |
| 16 | Sheff Wed | 43 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 29 | -8 | 50 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 42 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 22 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 23 | 33 | -15 | 49 |
| 18 | Hull | 43 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 41 | 30 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 32 | +2 | 47 |
| 19 | Reading | 43 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 31 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 23 | 32 | -15 | 43 |
| 20 | Bolton | 43 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 27 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 39 | -30 | 40 |
| 21 | Birmingham | 43 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 16 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 16 | 41 | -31 | 40 |
| 22 | Barnsley | 42 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 31 | -19 | 38 |
| 23 | Burton | 43 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 43 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 35 | -45 | 35 |
| 24 | Sunderland | 43 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 37 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 39 | -29 | 34 |