West Ham United’s biggest challenge against Millwall may be keeping their emotions under control.
Nuno Espírito Santo takes his Championship leaders to The Den on Saturday for the first league meeting between the rivals since February 2012.
West Ham arrive on a four-match winning run, but history provides a warning. Millwall are unbeaten in their last five home league meetings with the Hammers, winning three and drawing two since West Ham’s 1-0 victory there in December 1988.
Former Hammer Matt Jarvis believes dealing with the atmosphere could therefore be as important as any tactical decision Nuno makes.
Matt Jarvis gives West Ham Millwall advice
Jarvis knows what it feels like to play in front of the Millwall support after facing the Lions at The Den during his career.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of Saturday’s derby, the former West Ham winger urged Nuno’s players to embrace the occasion without becoming distracted by it.
“You try and use everything as a positive,” Jarvis said.
His wider point was about maintaining concentration.
Jarvis explained that players can enjoy the build-up and feed off the atmosphere, but must immediately switch their attention back to their individual responsibilities once the game begins.
That advice feels particularly relevant given the history of this fixture.
The last league meeting between the clubs saw Kevin Nolan sent off inside the opening ten minutes, although West Ham still recovered to win 2-1 at Upton Park.
Read West Ham has already detailed the additional police measures being introduced for Millwall against West Ham, but Nuno’s concern will be ensuring the emotion surrounding the fixture does not spill onto the pitch.
Millwall form offers West Ham opportunity
Strip away the derby narrative and the current form strongly favours West Ham.
Nuno’s side have won four consecutive Championship matches and could make it five league victories in succession for the first time since February 2006.
Millwall’s recent record is considerably less convincing.
Alex Neil’s side have won only one of their last five Championship games, drawing once and losing three times.
More significantly, they have conceded 13 goals during that five-game sequence, the same number they conceded across their previous 18 Championship fixtures excluding the play-offs.
West Ham therefore have little reason to change the attacking approach which has taken them to the top of the division.
The danger is allowing Millwall to turn the match into something different.
Neil has already questioned how West Ham will handle the atmosphere at The Den, while his players have spoken openly about raising their intensity for the derby.
That makes composure particularly important.
Nuno must prevent West Ham being dragged into derby battle
West Ham possess enough physicality to compete.
Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman and Morato give Nuno significant size defensively, while the Hammers also have players capable of hurting Millwall if space opens as the game becomes stretched.
The more difficult challenge is knowing when not to engage.
Jarvis specifically warned against unnecessary challenges and petulant cards, arguing that West Ham’s strong recent form means they should trust their football rather than become consumed by the rivalry.
That is perhaps the clearest route to ending the club’s long wait for another league victory at The Den.
West Ham do not need to prove they can make Saturday chaotic.
They need to prove they can remain composed when Millwall try to make it that way.
Read West Ham’s predicted XI against Millwall backs Nuno to retain much of the side responsible for the club’s recent Championship momentum.
If those players can reproduce that football while keeping 11 men on the pitch, West Ham should give themselves every chance of overcoming both their rivals and a difficult piece of derby history.
