Two teams yet to announce new managers following recent departures will square off in South Yorkshire on Saturday, as Rotherham United welcome Swansea City to the New York Stadium.
The hosts sit 23rd in the Championship table following the exit of Matt Taylor, while their visitors recently dismissed Michael Duff and find themselves 18th in the midst of a five-match winless run.
Match preview
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Still yet to announce a new permanent manager, but with Leam Richardson likely to take the post, Rotherham United will return to action on Saturday aiming to improve their standing in the fight at the bottom end of the Championship table, having quickly been cut further adrift of safety in 23rd spot in recent weeks.
They began the campaign under Matt Taylor and collected just 11 points from their opening 16 outings, with a 5-0 thrashing away at Watford before the international break in November spelling the end of his year-long tenure at the New York Stadium.
On their return from the break, under the temporary stewardship of Wayne Carlisle, the Millers have been unable to end a winless run which now stands at seven league matches, as they firstly took a creditable point from an impressive 1-1 draw at home to Yorkshire rivals and promotion-chasers Leeds United, as Christ Tiehi drew them level in the first half after Crysencio Summerville's early opener.
A short trip to take on Hull City then followed, but the South Yorkshire outfit were unable to build on the Leeds result and succumbed to a 4-1 defeat, with Grant Hall's goal nothing more than a consolation after the hosts led by four inside 50 minutes.
Now on the back of a goalless stalemate away at Birmingham City last weekend, Rotherham United sit 23rd in the Championship after 19 matches, three points behind 22nd-placed Queens Park Rangers and already seven adrift of safety, and whether under new management or still awaiting a permanent appointment, they will be desperate to cut that gap with a first league win since October.
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They meet a Swansea City side who will play their first game under temporary management, following Michael Duff's recent dismissal.
He only took the reins in South Wales in the summer, but the Swans hierarchy opted to make a switch on Monday as they sat 18th with just 21 points from the opening 19 games, having managed five victories alongside eight defeats.
Four of those wins came consecutively between late September and early October, before the most recent three-point haul came against Blackburn Rovers in late October, and they have failed to add another notch to the wins column in five attempts since, firstly heading into the international break on the back of a draw with Sunderland and a defeat to Ipswich Town, before drawing 2-2 at home to Hull City on their return to action last month.
A tough trip to Leeds United then followed, and the Swans left empty-handed as goals from former players Daniel James and Joel Piroe condemned them to a 2-1 defeat, before they were only able to snatch a point from a 1-1 draw at home to 21st-placed Huddersfield Town last weekend thanks to Charlie Patino's 94th-minute equaliser after the visitors led from the third minute through a Ben Cabango own goal.
Now following the change in leadership, with Alan Sheehan leading them for the interim period, Swansea City will be desperate to end their slide down the Championship table and make a return to winning ways in South Yorkshire this weekend.
Team News
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Rotherham United should only make minimal changes from the draw away at Birmingham last time out, and they continue to deal with an unenviable injury list, as defenders Tyler Blackett and Cameron Humphreys, midfielders Cafu, Sam Clucas and Shane Ferguson and forward Andre Green should all remain out of action on Saturday.
After being reduced to a substitute appearance in the trip to St Andrews, Jordan Hugill is expected to return up front, having netted three league goals so far this term, with Sam Nombe also likely to feature up front again from the start.
With Cafu and Clucas out of contention, Cohen Bramall could again offer support in midfield, although Hakeem Odoffin is also fighting to move forward after starting at centre-back last weekend, while Sean Morrison could return to the heart of the back four alongside Grant Hall.
Alan Sheehan is faced with a similar injury list in the Swansea City camp, as they are set to be missing Harrison Ashby, Nathan Wood, Nathanael Ogbeta, Joe Allen, Josh Ginnelly and Mykola Kukharevych for the trip to South Yorkshire.
Sheehan could opt to make several changes from the draw with Huddersfield, and Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino should certainly return to the midfield from the outset, having earned them a point with his second Championship goal of the season off the bench last time out while having also contributed four assists in the league, while Yannick Bolasie will also fight for a place in the attack, having earned a Swans debut off the bench at the weekend after his recent arrival.
Jamal Lowe will continue to play an important role in the front line, with Jerry Yates also hoping to come back into the attack from the start, having netted four and five goals respectively so far this term, while at the other end of the pitch, Harry Darling may come in to join Ben Cabango in the middle of the back four after entering the fray at half time last weekend.
Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Peltier, Hall, Morrison, Bramall; Lindsay, Odoffin, Tiehi; Rathbone; Nombe, Hugill
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Rushworth; Naughton, Cabango, Darling, Tymon; Patino, Grimes, Fulton; Bolasie, Yates, Lowe
We say: Rotherham United 1-1 Swansea City
With their position in the fight for survival quickly worsening, Rotherham will be desperate to return to winning ways on home turf on Saturday, but Swansea City boast more quality than their hosts, and both ticking over under temporary stewardship, we see a share of the spoils as the most likely outcome at the New York Stadium.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
