Sheffield United warned they are about to enter the real Millwall Den

A month after winning an FA Cup third round tie between the two clubs, Paul Heckingbottom’s side return to south London tomorrow aiming to bounce back from Wednesday’s defeat by Middlesbrough.

Like United, Rowett’s players also enter the contest on the back of a loss having succumbed 1-0 to Coventry City in midweek.

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But with his defender Jake Cooper urging the home supporters to turn their stadium into a fortress as Millwall chase a place in the end of season play-offs, Rowett confirmed this weekend’s assignment against second-placed United and a forthcoming meeting with leaders Burnley had whetted his appetite, saying: “You can look at it and go ‘oh, those are hard games’ or you can look at it and go ‘bring them on’. They are the sort of challenges you want as a team, these are the sort of matches you want at home. They are the sort of games that our fans will certainly get up for and get behind the team.”

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United saw their lead over Middlesbrough, who are third, cut to seven points when they slipped to their first loss since the beginning of November. Millwall are seventh but Rowett denied that the outcome of the encounter will define where either finishes in the table.

“You heard it mentioned in the press conference the other day that these are two season-defining games,” he told the South London Press. “They aren’t really, are they? They are the next two games. It sounds boring and a cliche, but that’s the mentality.”