Barnsley visit Rotherham United from 12.30pm on Saturday in an all South Yorkshire clash. Both sides are languishing in mid-table in League One, with the Reds now 11th and ten points off the top six following midweek results. Darrell Clarke’s side will look to end a six-game winless run by doing the double against the Millers who are three places and five points below them.
LIKELY LINE-UPS
Barnsley (3-5-2): Gauci; de Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe, Phillips, Connell, Russell, Farrugia; Keillor-Dunn, Humphrys.
Rotherham: (4-1-3-2): Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Zules, James; Humphreys; Mpanzu, Sibley, Powell; Hugill, Nombe.
TEAM NEWS
Barnsley: Out: Fabio Jalo (shoulder), Max Watters (ankle), Barry Cotter (ankle).
Rotherham: Out: Sean Raggett (knee), Alex MacDonald (thigh). Doubt: Liam Kelly (calf), Dan Gore (foot).
KEY BATTLES
OPPOSITION VIEW
Paul Davis, Rotherham Advertiser
On their day, Rotherham are a match for most teams in the division.
But, after a summer rebuild, they have been too inconsistent to challenge for the play-off places.
They’re paying the price for a disappointing start to the campaign and a finish somewhere around the middle of the table is the most likely outcome.
They have extra motivation to prove themselves on Saturday, having played badly and been humbled on Barnsley turf in November.
REFEREE
Ollie Yates, Staffordshire
Yates has taken charge of four Barnsley games. He gave them penalties against Manchester Cty under 21s in the EFL Trophy in 2018 – which Cauley Woodrow missed – and for a handball in the league win at Reading last season which Herbie Kane converted. He was also in charge of the final league game of last season, when Barnsley thought he should have seen a foul on Sam Cosgrove in the build-up to Northampton’s equaliser.
MARC ROBERTS v SAM NOMBE
Roberts is available for selection again after serving a three-game ban for a red card at Wycombe on January 28.
Because the fixture list has been sparse, the veteran defender has missed almost a month compared to just days if he had been dismissed during the busy Christmas schedule or even the fortnight that starts with this derby.
He is likely to return to the middle of the back three in place of Donovan Pines who has been an unconvincing deputy.
Roberts adds plenty of experience but must perform better than he was before the red card, having returned from an injury looking rusty. He had played well for the majority of the season and needs to get back to those levels quickly.
Roberts played in the 2017 win at Rotherham during his first spell for the Reds, having scored against them earlier that season.
Barnsley desperately need to improve defensively. They have shipped 43 goals, 12 more than any of the top seven – a big part of why they are not in the promotion race.
Nombe, who the Reds wanted to sign after he impressed for Exeter against them, is Rotherham’s top-scorer with seven goals, while he also has four assists. He could partner Jordan Hugill who was booed off by his own fans at Oakwell in November.
On the bench there is likely to be Jonson Clarke-Harris, who has more than 100 League One goals in his career, and ex-Red Mallik Wilks – both of whom have netted six times this season in the league and recently returned from injury.
LUCA CONNELL v JOE POWELL
Connell and Adam Phillips are likely to return to the 11 after missing the loss to Huddersfield.
Captain Connell has struggled for form of late – being taken off set pieces and dropping in and out of the 11 with Kelechi Nwakali pushing him for a place in the team. But the Reds will need their captain, who is expected to return from injury, at his best in defensive midfield in what could be a blood and thunder derby.
Phillips is also expected to return to the side having welcomed a new baby, while Jon Russell will look to build on his goal against Huddersfield.
Powell scored and assisted against Barnsley for previous club Burton, with his goal in April last year prompting Reds fans to chant for Neill Collins to be sacked. He has six assists for the Millers this season.
Powell has been playing in a midfield three with Luton loanee Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Oxford loanee Louis Sibley, with Cameron Humphreys anchoring behind them.
STEPHEN HUMPHRYS v HAKEEM ODOFFIN
Humphrys smashed in a superb goal from outside the box against the Millers in November, then ran from his own half to equalise at Cambridge the following week.
At that point, with his all-action playing style and viral celebrations, fan favourite Humphrys looked set to be key part of Barnsley’s attack this season.
But he has not netted in his last 15 matches since then across more than three months.
He needs to find another moment of magic – or just the run of the mill strikers’ finish which has eluded him this season – to re-start his campaign and the club’s.
The 27-year-old’s contract expires in the summer but the Reds have an option to add another year.
In contrast to Humphrys, Davis Keillor-Dunn has kicked on since the last Rotherham game and is the top-scorer with 11 goals, although the consolation strike at Stockport last week was his only one in his last six.
DKD and Humphrys could play in a two up front, with Barnsley now having more options in midfield to return to 3-5-2, and will face a defence led by Odoffin. He has played more than 100 games for the Millers and is also a danger from attacking set plays, scoring six goals this season in all competitions.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Millers 1, Reds 2 – December 29, 2020
Barnsley continued their superb form under Valerien Ismael in this behind-closed-doors match. Alex Mowatt set up Cauley Woodrow then fired in from just outside the box to make it 2-0 at half-time. Former Red Michael Smith pulled one back then Freddie Ladapo missed a big chance to level.
Millers 0, Reds 1 – January 28, 2017
Barnsley had just sold Sam Winnall, James Bree and Conor Hourihane but still managed to win this game which took them up to seventh in the Championship. Adam Armstrong got the winner on 70 minutes from an assist by Ryan Kent.
Millers 1, Reds 1 – December 29, 2001
Chris Morgan put relegation-bound Barnsley in front just after the break but Richie Barker – playing against his brother Chris – levelled within minutes. The match was played in freezing conditions on a snow-covered Millmoor pitch.
Millers 1, Reds 0 – October 16, 1982
The last time Barnsley lost to Rotherham, with Don Souter scoring an own goal. This was a meeting of two greats of the game and former England colleagues as Emlyn Hughes and Norman Hunter were player/managers for the Millers and Reds respectively.
Millers 0, Reds 1 – December 13, 1980
Barnsley used to have a terrible record at Rotherham. This was a first win in 16 post-war attempts, having drawn one and won two of their first three visits in the 1930s. But they won this FA Cup tie thanks to Derrick Parker’s 13th-minute goal from a long throw by Mick McCarthy.
