Millwall striker steps up return from injury as boss updates on squad availability for Sunderland

Millwall striker Macaulay Langstaff has stepped up his return from injury.

The 28-year-old, signed from Notts County last summer, has missed the last 10 matches for the Lions.

Langstaff’s last outing was as an 89th-minute substitute against QPR at the start of February.

Millwall will be without Femi Azeez (hamstring) and Camiel Neghli (ankle) for Saturday’s Championship match at Sunderland.

“Macca is back on the grass, so he is starting to do a bit more,” Lions head coach Alex Neil told the South London Press. “I’m hoping he will get a week under his belt.

“George Honeyman is making decent progress. I’m not sure he will make the weekend. Camiel (Neghli) is still a little bit away, he isn’t back with us yet.

“Femi is not with us. He is still with the physios.”

Millwall are set to resume action at the Stadium of Light after the international break.

Neil said: “At this time of the season it is about the players getting a rest. We have lost Ra’ees (Bangura-Williams) to the England U20 squad. We’ve lost Dan Kelly, who went away with Scotland. Sav (George Saville) went with Northern Ireland and Mihailo (Ivanovic) went away.

“People think a lot of the time you have got loads to work on, but sometimes you lose key players and then it is difficult.

“Equally, before the last game I think we had 10 players missing through injury – which is a lot – for a variety of different reasons. What that means is because the squad is condensed then all those players are having to play those matches leading into the break.

“We have had quite a lot of five-game blocks where we have gone Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday. So from that perspective I think rest was the main thing. This week it is about getting them ready to get their teeth back into it at the weekend.”

PICTURE: BRIAN TONKS