Jamie O'Hara sends Millwall 'mess it up' warning as QPR star gets AFCON call - round-up

Millwall picked up a triumphant win over Southampton last weekend thanks to a 97th minute Tristan Crama goal, leaving the Lions in third place after 18 fixtures in the Championship this season.

Alex Neil’s side narrowly missed out on the play-offs on a dramatic final day of the season last term but are now just two points off the top two. Millwall have won their last two and head to 6th-place Bristol City this weekend in an important clash.

There’s still a long way to go in the second tier season with just eight points separating third and 17th. Millwall won’t be dreaming of promotion quite yet, but are certainly in the mix to have a shot at leaping into the Premier League.

Jamie O’Hara: Millwall ‘mess it up towards the end of the season’

On Sky Sports, former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara was asked who he believed would achieve promotion this season. The 39-year-old spent a brief loan spell at The Den in 2007, where he scored two goals in 15 appearances.

O’Hara said: “I think Coventry are going up - they’ve scored 50 goals in 18 games! They’re on fire and Frank Lampard has done an incredible job. I can’t see them slipping up, getting dragged back into that second spot race. It’s so difficult to choose. There are so many clubs who are there.

“I’d love to see Millwall sneak in there. The problem with Millwall is, can they go and spend and bring in some quality players in January? They always seem to mess it up. A lot of my family are Millwall fans and they just mess it up towards the end of the season. I’d love to see them do it. Hopefully they get a play-off spot and the fans can get behind them and get a trip to Wembley and you never know.

“I still look outside the play-offs. Maybe Birmingham City, maybe Ipswich Town. I’m looking at the form, I think they’ve been in alright form. They don’t lose that many games. If you look at them as a club and with Kieran McKenna, they will be there or thereabouts.”

QPR youngster named in Africa Cup of Nations squad

Meanwhile, rising QPR star Tylon Smith has been named in the final South Africa squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, marking his first international senior call-up. The 20-year-old only signed at Loftus Road from Stellenbosch this summer and has been handed just one senior appearance.

That came in the 3-2 defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the Carabao Cup with the defender playing the full 90 minutes in that match. Smith helped his nation win the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in May, picking up Player of the Tournament in the process, and also reached the last 16 of the U20 World Cup in October.

The Africa Cup of Nations begins on Sunday, December 21 and South Africa have been drawn in Group B with Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe.

In other news, QPR boost as West Brom giant suspended as Millwall 'catalyst' injury timeframe confirmed - round-up.