FA Cup / Michael Lintorn / 06 February 2012 /

Michael Lintorn sees a link between Millwall's drop down the table and their results against the top sides which doesn't bode well for an FA Cup fourth-round replay at Southampton...

Millwall's reputation as a team for the big occasions suffered a major blow at the weekend as they were outplayed and beaten by the ten men of rivals West Ham, albeit being punished by a rather controversial winner.

It was a fifth loss in six Championship games for the Lions, who are free of immediate relegation danger primarily due to the ineptitude of the trio below them, and far from ideal preparation for Tuesday's tough FA Cup trip to Southampton.

Kenny Jackett, who is at risk of being axed in favour of Roy Keane according to some fairly fanciful reports, hinted in a gloomy post-match press conference on Saturday that he'll make some changes.

This should be the kind of tie that whoever he choses relishes: [5.6] outsiders with a point to prove away to one of the Football League's strongest forces. After all, they used to regularly save their best for the elite, suffering just seven defeats in 22 meetings with top-half clubs last season.

But the south Londoners haven't ruffled any feathers recently, so much so that they have the worst record against the top half in the entire division, failing to win any of 14 such encounters and scoring a pitiful five goals in the process. The situation is direr on their travels, with nine games producing two draws and seven reverses.

So while Southampton haven't been great of late, going four matches with a victory and triumphing in none of their last three as hosts, they will meet visitors shorn of the tenacity that makes them a threat, and having not lost in ten against them, will be confident. The Saints are [1.74] to prevail and [2.54] to keep a clean sheet.

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