Rotherham without boss Paul Warne for home clash with Watford

Rotherham will be missing manager Paul Warne when they return to action for the first time in almost a fortnight at home to Watford.

Warne is self-isolating following the coronavirus outbreak which caused three Sky Bet Championship matches to be postponed, leaving assistant manager Richie Barker and goalkeeping coach Andy Warrington to take charge on the sidelines against the high-flying Hornets.

The Millers’ enforced break means Warne is unsure about the fitness of his players, although Michael Ihiekwe has completed a two-game ban.

Forward Michael Smith is free to feature after his red card against Sheffield Wednesday on March 3 was overturned on appeal but Clark Robertson, Jamie Lindsay (both hamstring), Joe Mattock (ankle), and Chiedozie Ogbene (knee) look set to remain sidelined.

Second-placed Watford will assess Christian Kabasele and Dan Gosling ahead of the visit to South Yorkshire.

Defender Kabasele has resumed training following a knee injury sustained in December and been included in Belgium’s latest squad, while midfielder Gosling has been out with a hamstring strain.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster returned from a broken finger as an unused substitute in the weekend win at Cardiff and will now push Daniel Bachmann for the starting spot.

Midfielder Tom Cleverley remains sidelined with a ligament injury, while there is no timescale on captain Troy Deeney’s return from an Achilles issue.

 

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