We don't have confirmed lineups or formations from the brief — no coach names, no tactical setups. So we go with what we know about these two Championship staples. Bristol City, under whatever system they've been drilling in pre-season, will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, looking to dominate possession and use the width of Ashton Gate. They'll want to move the ball quickly, get their full-backs high, and feed runners into the half-spaces. Millwall, true to their DNA, will probably sit in a 4-4-2 or a 5-4-1 low block, compact and narrow, forcing Bristol to go wide and cross into a crowded box. That's where the game will be won or lost: can Bristol break down a side that's happy to let them have the ball?

The midfield battle will be a dogfight. Millwall are second-ball merchants — they thrive on scraps, on knockdowns, on winning the first and second contact. Bristol will need to be sharper in the middle, quicker in transition, and ruthless in the final third. If they try to play through a packed middle, they'll get stifled. The key is width and movement — pulling Millwall's shape apart, then hitting them with late runners. Set pieces will also loom large. Millwall are set-piece kings, dangerous from corners and free-kicks. Bristol must stay switched on at the back, or they'll be punished.