Rotherham United VS Watford, a tough encounter

Match Time：3/17/2021 03:00 Wednesday  (GMT+8)

England Championship --  Rotherham United   VS   Watford

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Watford will be wary of avoiding a potential banana skin in their fight for promotion as they travel to struggling Rotherham United on Tuesday evening.  

 

The Hornets currently occupy second place in the Championship behind runaway leaders Norwich City, while the Millers find themselves in the bottom three.  

 

Match preview 

Watford left it late to beat playoff chasing Cardiff City on Saturday as Adam Masina's 94th-minute free-kick secured a dramatic 2-1 win in Wales.  

 

The victory was a third in a row for Xisco Munoz's side, who have now won seven of their last eight games, which is a run of form that has catapulted them into the automatic promotion picture, having previously only being considered as playoff contenders.  

 

The Hornets are level on points with Swansea City and three points ahead of Brentford but have played one game more than both sides.  

 

Including Tuesday's game, Watford's next three fixtures are all against bottom-four sides with clashes with Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday to come.  

No team has conceded fewer goals in the Championship this season than the Hornets (25), while they have won three of their last four away games having only won three of the previous 14.   

 

Now they travel to a Rotherham side that have lost their last three games at the New York Stadium and have picked up the second fewest amount of points at home in the Championship.  

 

Tuesday's fixture will be Paul Warne's side's first match in two weeks as their last three have been postponed due to positive Covid-19 tests.  

 

Their last outing was a vital 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers and Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday as Freddie Ladapo broke clear in the 97th minute to score the winning goal.  

 

The result followed five successive defeats for Rotherham but all by just the one goal so they are by no means being outplayed in matches.  

 

Nonetheless, they are three points adrift of safety in 22nd position, albeit with four games in hand over 21st-placed Birmingham City.  

 

Watford have won the four most recent games between the two sides without conceding a goal, including a 2-0 victory in this season's reverse fixture in December.  

 

Rotherham United Championship form: LLLLLW 

Watford Championship form: WWLWWW 

 

Team News  

Michael Smith was sent off in Rotherham's last game against Sheffield Wednesday, but his suspension has been rescinded by the FA meaning he is available to feature.  

 

Ladapo's performance at Hillsborough could earn him a start, while Warne may look to ring the changes with a hectic schedule coming up.  

 

The Millers' two-week enforced break has allowed Richard Wood to get back fit, while fellow centre-back Michael Ihiekwe is available again after a two-game ban, but there is not such good news on Clark Robertson, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.  

 

Ben Foster returned to Watford's matchday squad at Cardiff after over two months out injured and will now push Daniel Bachmann for the starting spot in goal.  

 

Foster's return could be the only change that Xisco makes at the New York Stadium, although Dan Gosling is back in contention after a hamstring strain, and Andre Gray will compete with Joao Pedro for the central striker role.  

 

Rotherham United possible starting lineup: 

Johansson; Olosunde, A. MacDonald, Wood, Ihiekwe, Harding; S. MacDonald, Barlaser, Wing; Ladapo, Crooks  

 

Watford possible starting lineup: 

Foster; Femenia, Troost-Ekong, Sierralta, Masina; Chalobah, Hughes, Zinckernagel; Sarr, Pedro, Sema    

 

Rotherham United 1-2 Watford