Millwall manager Alex Neil has hailed Macaulay Langstaff’s mentality after he was given a surprise start against Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.

The 28-year-old was in high demand in the summer of 2024 following a successful spell at Notts County.

So there was a lot of excitement at Millwall when they won the battle to recruit Langstaff, but he has struggled to duplicate his Championship form from the Magpies.

Alex Neil says he was impressed with Macaulay Langstaff’s effect for Millwall.

Langstaff scored just one league goal in his first full season with the Lions, and coming into the New Year, he has only scored once in the Championship this season.

To be fair, the vast majority of those outings have come from the bench, so it came as a surprise when Langstaff was named to the XI against Ipswich last time out, partnering Mihailo Ivanovic as Neil switched tactics to a front two.

Despite the fact that the game ended goalless, Millwall were highly competitive against the Tractor Boys, and Langstaff worked hard for the club.

Neil praised his performance, telling Southwark News that he was impressed by the striker’s mentality, and that rotation was needed during the busy festive season.

“We have four games coming up, and we’ll have to attempt to rotate the team each time. I don’t believe any of the upcoming games will have the same starting lineup. I don’t believe that’s conceivable. We only have two games between each match. We’re already very stretched.

“Macca has done well. He came on and did quite well against Southampton. He also performed admirably in another game. He has been doing well in training over the last few weeks. He obviously deserved to start, and I felt he was excellent in the game. So I was quite thrilled for him.

Macaulay Langstaff will look for additional opportunities at Millwall.

It’s always wonderful for players to be praised, so Langstaff will welcome Neil’s sentiments, even if he’s upset with his lack of goals since joining The Den.

With Josh Coburn still recovering from injury, Langstaff will play an important role, whether starting or coming off the bench, and the team needs him and Ivanovic to step up and become productive if they are to make the playoffs.

But all he can do is continue to work hard on a daily basis, as he clearly is, and hope that this leads to more starts and goals.

The January transfer window provides an opportunity for Millwall to freshen up their roster, and they are expected to be looking for a number nine.

So it’ll be interesting to watch how that plays out, and how it affects Langstaff’s future, given he’s been connected with a move away from Millwall before.

Right now, however, he is still an essential member of the Lions’ squad, and he will be looking to contribute in the coming games as Neil continues to make changes to the team as the games come thick and fast.