'Stay at home!' The message Rotherham United players could get as the Millers are gripped by illness

The club were without several ill players and staff as they returned from the World Cup shutdown with a Championship clash against Bristol City at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Following the 3-1 home defeat, manager Matt Taylor revealed he was considering ordering his men to stay at home for a further 24 hours after the weekend.

"We are contemplating not being in on Monday," he said. "We cannot afford the sickness to spread.

"We were missing three or four today and a few were feeling a bit under the weather. Do we make a decision where we don’t train on Monday and almost try to have a circuit-breaker?"

Two of the players worst affected with chest infections are centre-halves Grant Hall and Cameron Humphreys, both of whom were unavailable for selection.

Midfielder Hakeem Odoffin has also been laid low but managed to fill a place on the bench.

To add to the problems, there have been cases of Covid among staff.

It is too soon to say whether Hall and Humphreys will be fit for next Saturday's trip to West Bromwich Albion for the final match before the busy Christmas period.

"I don’t know if they will be," Taylor said. "We need our better performers back. Cam is the one who gave us legs in the middle position in the last few games before the international break. He was a sight for sore eyes on Friday.

"Hally has had it for the whole week. He has been bed-bound and messaged me to say that he could not get out of bed for the first few days.

"He was very weak when he came back into the building."