Portsmouth v Millwall team news with 7 outs and 10 doubts amid Mihailo Ivanovic update

Millwall boss Alex Neil has welcomed the timing of the recent international break as he prepared to welcome back injured first team stars for the trip to Portsmouth this weekend.

The Lions look for a first win in four Championship outings at Fratton Park but will be buoyed after navigating recent weeks without key players. Neil told NewsAtDen: “This one [international break] we certainly wanted to come because we’ve lost a few bodies, which is disappointing. We want to try and go into this next batch and try and pick up as many points as we can.”

LondonWorld looks at which Millwall players could return ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Portsmouth.

Portsmouth team news

John Mousinho is set to welcome Millwall boosted by the return to fitness of several first team stars over the international break, as per The News. That includes Australian attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic, who had scored three goals in his opening 11 games before an ankle ligament injury against Coventry City last month.

Nicolas Schmid could also return to the starting XI having recovered from a broken hand but will have to claim his place back from Josef Bursik. Callum Lang also has the green light for ‘50 to 55 minutes’ of action.

Franco Umeh is yet to feature for Pompey since making a Deadline Day move from Crystal Palace due to a hamstring injury. The 20-year-old is now involved in first team training but won’t be rushed into the matchday squad. Harvey Blair also has been nursing a hamstring niggle and is around a week behind Umeh in his recovery.

Full-back Jacob Farrell remains sidelined with a groin issue with no clear date put on his return. Connor Ogilvie picked up a knee issue against Wrexham prior to the international break and is expected to need at least another two months out.

Conor Shaughnessy picked up a hamstring injury against Sheffield Wednesday in September and isn’t expected back until mid December. Thomas Waddingham is another long term absentee with a quad injury.

Doubts - Franco Umeh. Outs - Harvey Blair, Jacob Farrell, Connor Ogilvie, Conor Shaughnessy, Thomas Waddingham.

Millwall team news

Millwall boss Alex Neil has refused to confirm whether striker Mihailo Ivanovic and midfielder Daniel Kelly would be fit enough to play against Portsmouth having left their international camps with Serbia and the Scotland under-21s early.

Neil said: “Both of the lads picked up knocks. Dan is still feeling his quad and his hamstring. He didn’t really train enough for us to involve him in the last game, but we did because we had a lack of numbers in that area.

“Mihailo went down and sort of looked as if he twisted his knee. He got another kick on his ankle as well. So there were a couple of little bits and bobs for him that, unfortunately, they haven’t done as much training as we would’ve liked.”

Ryan Leonard will remain sidelined with a calf injury picked up against Oxford United with Massimo Luongo out for the rest of the season with an ACL problem.

Femi Azeez, Steven Benda, Alfie Doughty and Danny McNamara have all returned to training over the international break. Will Smallbone is set for months out with a hamstring issue, Billy Mitchell is still out with a hamstring problem picked up against Birmingham City and Josh Coburn is out for months with a quad issue.

Doubts - Mihailo Ivanovic, Daniel Kelly, Femi Azeez, Steven Benda, Alfie Doughty and Danny McNamara. Outs - Ryan Leonard, Massimo Luongo, Will Smallbone, Billy Mitchell, Josh Coburn.

In other news, Millwall handed double injury concern ahead of Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday.