Macaulay Langstaff must take advantage of big Millwall FC blow: View | OneFootball

The former Notts County man has the perfect opportunity to prove himself as a top Championship striker in the coming weeks

Millwall and Neil Harris have suffered a major setback with the news that Middlesbrough loanee Josh Coburn will be out for the next six to eight weeks.

The frontman picked up a calf injury in the 1-0 defeat to Luton Town last time out, with the Lions boss confirming the lengthy layoff at the start of the week after the forward left the field just after half-hour mark.

The 21-year-old made the move to The Den on transfer deadline day, and it looked as if he had hit the ground running after a debut goal in a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at the end of last month.

But this setback leaves his side almost back at square one, and leaves Macaulay Langstaff with the perfect opportunity to prove himself capable of becoming a regular starter for the Championship outfit.

Macaulay Langstaff’s struggles after leaving Notts County for Millwall

Langstaff had established himself as one of the top strikers in the lower leagues during his prolific two years at Notts County, as he netted 70 league goals over two seasons with the Magpies to help them return to the Football League.

As a result, there was plenty of interest in his services over the summer, with Millwall reportedly paying a fee in the region of £700,000 for his services to help Harris in the goalscoring department for the season ahead.

But right from the off there seemed to be a clash of styles with striker and club, with Langstaff a player who thrives off chances being created for him, while Harris has often utilised a more pragmatic style of play.

As a result, the former Gateshead man has struggled to earn a start so far this season, with the likes of Tom Bradshaw and Coburn being preferred up top.

In fact, the 27-year-old has played just 110 minutes of Championship football so far this season, and must be stewing on the sidelines as he struggles to get a game for a side who struggled for goals in the previous campaign.

After coming on to replace Coburn on Saturday, Langstaff finally got his opportunity to prove himself to his manager and his new fanbase, and came within a whisker of grabbing an equaliser for his side, only for the toe of Thomas Kaminski to deny him when through one-on-one.

Macaulay Langstaff can make the most of Josh Coburn setback

With Bradshaw himself being ruled out with a long-term knee injury last month, the Coburn update will be a massive blow to Harris and Millwall, who also have summer signing Mihailo Ivanovic on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.

That leaves a gaping hole in the striking department for Langstaff to fill, with Harris underlining the fact that the goal-getter can benefit from the misfortune around the club at this moment in time.

“It’s one of those things. One person’s misfortune is another one’s gain,” Harris told the South London Press.

“I thought Macaulay Langstaff played very well when he came on and was very unlucky not to open his account for the club.

“He’s a natural goalscorer, so I’m sure that goal won’t be far away.”

With that in mind, Harris may have to change the style of approach that the Lions play in the weeks to come, as they look to get the most out of a player who can regularly find the back of the net if given the correct service.

While the step up from League Two to the Championship is considered a big one, the goals don’t move, and Langstaff has proven time and time again that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis when given the opportunity.

The next two months could be defining in so many ways, with Langstaff looking to get life as a Championship striker truly underway, while the Lions will be hoping he can adapt to his new surroundings to avoid seeing themselves struggling to pick up points.