Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he expected Millwall to come to Griffin Park scrapping for their Sky Bet Championship future tomorrow.
The Bees face the South London outfit in a derby tomorrow, Saturday March 21.
Brentford are currently sixth in the table while Millwall are 23rd and in the relegation places.
Tomorrow’s visitors are eight points from safety with only eight games to go and need to start winning games.
They have recently put record goal scorer Neil Harris in charge, moving him up from their Under-21 squad, and Mark said he expected that to make a difference.
“We have said all along there are no easy games,” said the Brentford boss, speaking to Bees Player yesterday.
“They are scrapping, they are in the mix at the bottom and will be fighting very hard.
“Neil Harris has come in with an outstanding reputation there, Millwall’s leading goal scorer.
“They will want to play for him.
“We are aware of the threat they pose and the challenge they offer.
“If we don’t match it we will get punished.”
Mark said Millwall had strengths and could hurt his side but he was mainly focussed on what his players could do.
“On Tuesday they started 4-3-2-1 but we think it might be more 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1,” he said.
“They have some real strengths.
“With a new manager there are grey areas but we are at home and need to impose ourselves on the game.
“It is about us doing what we do well.”
The match will kick-off at 1pm tomorrow and Mark said that would change the build-up.
But he said the players had to relish the occasion.
The Bees have eight Sky Bet Championship matches remaining and are only seven points off the top of the table.
“The early kick-off does change things but it is up to us to prepare for it,” said Mark.
“It is a massive game for us, every game is.
“The players have to relish it.
“The players have worked hard to get in to this position and need to enjoy it, give it your best shot and see where that leaves us on May 2.”
Brentford maintained their position in the top six with a win over Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night.
The Bees trailed early on and then conceded again just before half time after Chris Long had equalised.
They were much the better team after the break and goals from Jota and Andre Gray sealed the win.
Mark said he never had any doubts his players would respond.
“We needed to cut out the unforced errors,” he said.
“That was unlike us as a team.
“We were sloppy and made poor decisions.
“Once we stopped that we had spells.
“There was never a concern and once we eradicated the mistakes in the second half we were in good shape.
“I had no doubts we would get back in to the game.
“As a group we had words at half time and the reaction was fantastic.”
Mark said his players had a long journey home but have been preparing well for Millwall.
“The boys got back around 4.30am,” he explained.
“They had a day off and there was various forms of rest and recovery.
“The starting XI have been in the swimming pool and the subs have been working outside.
“They will all go home and rest we will have a light session tomorrow.
“All our focus is on Millwall.”
Mark said there were no new injuries and Lewis Macleod was also in training, although he was still building up his fitness.
He said Sam Saunders and Nico Yennaris were doing well on loan at Sky Bet League Two Wycombe Wanderers and a decision was to be taken whether they should stay.
Mark said there may also be a chance to use upcoming Development Squad matches to build match fitness.
“Everyone is in good shape,” he said.
“The loans for Nico and Sam are nearing completion and we will discuss whether it is better for them to stay at Wycombe and play, and it is a great environment there, or we use the call-back option.
“Lewis Macleod is training and working hard.
“I can’t throw him straight in to the First Team at the top of the Championship.
“We need to make sure the timing is right and his fitness levels are what they need to be.
“Under-21 games will help so we have to look at what is best for the boys around the First Team.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Mark Warburton here.