Injured players poised to return to squad as Rotherham United head to QPR

Striker Freddie Ladapo, centre-half Richard Wood and left-back missed Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Swansea City where the Millers were so low on numbers they named only seven substitutes instead of the permitted nine.

Manager Paul Warne, speaking after the final whistle at the Liberty Stadium, expected all three to resume training today and to be in contention to face QPR.

Mattock could have played against Swansea but Rotherham, contending with a packed fixture schedule, were taking no chances with his strained hamstring. Ladapo and captain Wood were ruled out because of hip and hamstring issues respectively.

"We are playing a quarter of the season in five weeks so I don't want to take any unnecessary risks," Warne said.

"Woody's hammy was a little bit sore in training on Thursday, Freddie has a bit of a hip problem and was sore on Friday.

"There is a good chance we will have more bodies for QPR."

The Millers will be without wingers Chiedozie Ogbene and Kieran Sadlier, central defender Clark Robertson and midfielder Shaun MacDonald who are all sidelined until the New Year.

Warne wants to see a better performance from the Millers who were unlucky not to snatch a draw in South Wales with a late fightback but had been second best for 70 minutes.

"We need to raise our standard from the Swansea game," the boss said. "We are a pretty good team away from home, I think.

"We will have to take the game to them a bit more, be braver on the ball. QPR have had a pretty indifferent start, but I like the way they play, I like their manager (Mark Warburton). I have liked him since his Brentford days, so I have got a lot of respect for the way they play.

"If we are going to win football games then we have to impose ourselves on the opposition."

Rotherham head south in 19th spot while QPR are one place above them.

Loftus Road holds happy recent memories for the Millers. The last time they played there, in March 2019, they won 2-1 in the last minute through a Semi Ajayi header to record the only away win of their Championship campaign.

However, Warne hasn't forgotten the 5-1 second-tier drubbing in March 2017 when he was still caretaker manager after replacing Kenny Jackett.

"I remember the 2-1 win," he said. "Semi scored both goals and our fans went crazy at the end. It was a good day at a tight little ground,

"I have had some good and horrendous times there."

"We will have to ride our luck but the harder you work the more luck you earn. I will ask for a gutsy performance with a bit of quality in the crucial areas. That's something we need to improve on."