New Derby County boss John Eustace will be demanding an improvement from his players at home to Millwall a week after his debut in the dugout ended in a 4-0 thumping at Queens Park Rangers.
That left Derby in the bottom three and bracing themselves for a tough assignment against a Lions side who have picked up under Alex Neil.
Derby County v Millwall betting tips and predictions
Millwall to win - 9/4
Eustace's baptism as new Derby boss was as fiery as it gets at Loftus Road last week and he'll be hoping for a far smoother ride when he takes charge at Pride Park for the first time.
A 4-0 drubbing at QPR reminded Eustace of the battle he faces keeping the Rams in the Championship.
Without a win since Boxing Day, he needs improvements and he needs them fast, starting with the visit of mid-table Millwall to the East Midlands.
The two encouraging aspects for Eustace is that before the battering at QPR his new charges had been defensively well organised under first Paul Warne and then caretaker Matt Hamshaw.
And second, anything good that happens to Derby happens at home. They have only 29 points to their name and 21 of those have been accrued in front of their own supporters.
Their problem is they simply aren't scoring anywhere near enough goals, which means if they go behind they tend to lose.
They have not scored more than once in a game since a 4-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on New Year's Day and they have not netted a first-half goal in the league this year.
Millwall, in contrast, are in far better shape with just two defeats in 11. One of those was a disappointing 5-1 loss at Plymouth Argyle, where every mistake was punished, but that looks like an isolated result.
Generally they have been good since Christmas with a stubborn streak on the road which has earned them draws at Coventry City, Wednesday and, last week, Preston North End. They have also won 1-0 at both Luton Town and Portsmouth and, of course, 2-0 at Leeds United in the FA Cup.
That is a significant improvement under Neil, although Millwall, like Derby, do struggle to score goals. Both teams have notched 33 in the Championship this season - only Hull, Stoke and Luton have scored less.
Defensively, though, Millwall have a goals-against record bettered only by the top six and only Leeds, Burnley and Middlesbrough face fewer shots than Neil's well-drilled rearguard.
Derby have injuries to worry about - Liverpool loanee Nat Phillips is a major doubt and would be a huge miss - and in a low-scoring game like this, the 9/4 about the visitors is a more than fair price.
Aaron Connolly Over 0.5 Shots on Target - 6/4
Aaron Connolly was Neil's first signing for Millwall, the Scot describing the decision to buy the 25-year-old from Sunderland as a 'no-brainer'.
The Republic of Ireland international, who has struggled to get regular game time wherever he has played, is definitely finding his feet at The Den.
He has made four starts, but also come off the bench three times, and has one goal (and a missed penalty) to show for his efforts so far.
Neil wanted Connolly to solve the headache of an attack that isn't scoring goals and he has certainly been a threat. He is already averaging more shots per game than any of his team-mates and he has been at the club little more than a month.
Back the ex-Brighton front-runner to have at least one shot on target at Pride Park.
Over 10.5 Corners - 10/11
An impressive 62 percent of Derby's home games this season have produced over 10.5 corners and 50 percent of Millwall's away games have done likewise, which gives a signpost to a play.
The Rams do all their most aggressive work at home where they average 5.4 corners and the Blackburn Rovers side Eustace left behind averaged even more home corners at 5.6.
Derby have to be positive - their survival will likely be determined by the points they pick up at Pride Park where their form is solid. An 11-corner match haul should be well within range.
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Derby County v Millwall odds
Derby County - 6/4
Draw - 19/10
Millwall - 9/4
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
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