Burnley v Millwall - Pete Oliver's preview

IT didn't work at Anfield but for Millwall, joint management has been a marriage made in heaven.

Club favourites and long-serving players Keith Stevens and Alan McLeary teamed up last May after Stevens had piloted the ship alone for a year following the reign of Billy Bonds.

The result has been a promotion challenge that has gained pace at just the right time to raise hopes of a return to the First Division for the first time since 1996.

Unbeaten in seven games, the Lions come to Burnley tomorrow two places and two points better off than the Clarets.

The value of a win to both sides is therefore obvious as they pursue automatic promotion, which Millwall would have to achieve the hard way with games to follow against Gillingham and champions-elect Preston.

A trip to Turf Moor on Tuesday night therefore allowed Stevens and McLeary, who between them clocked up 805 league appearances for the Lions, to run the rule over their next two opponents.

"I suppose in some people's eyes it was a bit of a shock but you have to give some credit to Gillingham," said McLeary after seeing the Gills enhance their own promotion prospects with a 3-0 triumph.

"They set their stall out to play a certain way and it was very effective on the night.

"It frustrated Burnley up to a point and Gillingham nicked the goals and came out deserved winners in the end."

Gillingham's win prevented Burnley from leap-frogging the Lions and moving into second spot.

But McLearly didn't feel it was all good news. He added: "In terms of us facing Burnley, it probably wasn't the ideal result because they will want to bounce back on Saturday.

"It was always going to be a hard game for us to go up there and get a result and their result on Tuesday makes it as tough if not tougher than it was going to be anyway.

"But it's something we have to contend with. We have had to do that on certain occasions, bounce back from results and I'm sure Burnley will be looking to do the same. We will have to cope with that and impose ourselves on the game."

Despite a below-par performance, McLeary isn't expecting any radical changes to the Clarets' approach which may be better suited to a more attack-minded side like Millwall.

"We have got a good idea how they will play," McLeary added.

"They might change the personnel around a little but that's something that remains to be seen.

"I think we've got to go up there and just attack the game in our normal fashion. We've got to try and keep their crowd quiet but at the same time impose ourselves on the game.

"Gillingham did that to great effect and we need to do the same thing."

The Londoners have won nine times away from home and are unlikely to pack men behind the ball like Gillingham.

Strikers Neil Harris and Paul Moody have scored 32 league goals between them and Paul Ifill and Michael Gilkes provide genuine width on the flanks.

Midfielder Tim Cahill is also into double figures for the season and with only two players in their side over 30, the Lions have the legs for an open game in what could be a win or bust encounter.