At The Den on Boxing Day, two of the Championship's top-six hopefuls cancelled each other out in a hard-fought 0-0 draw that showcased grit more than glamour. Millwall, coming off back-to-back league defeats, delivered the response their manager had demanded, while Ipswich Town missed the opportunity to crank up the pressure on second-placed Middlesbrough.
The hosts were the more threatening side before the break, repeatedly forcing Christian Walton into action, but Ipswich gradually asserted control of possession and spent much of the second half probing for a winner. Substitute Camiel Neghli thought he had finally settled an increasingly tense contest late on, only for a marginal offside call to deny Millwall, leaving both sides to settle for a point that each will feel could easily have been three.
Millwall's high-tempo start sets the tone
Millwall began as if determined to erase the memory of their recent run, pressing high and snapping into challenges from the opening whistle. Within five minutes they had carved out the game's first clear chance, Lions captain Jake Cooper surging down the right and cutting the ball back for Mihailo Ivanovic, whose low effort was pushed away by Walton at his near post.