Rotherham United to make EFL Trophy changes despite chance of history

The table-topping League One Millers are already on their longest unbeaten run in the five-year reign of manager Paul Warne.

If they avoid defeat tonight, they will surpass the 16-game mark set in 2014 when Steve Evans was leading them into the Championship.

Even though Warne would love to make history, he will still rest some of his key men in the 'Round of 32' first knockout phase of the Trophy against League Two pace-setters Vale (kick-off 7pm)

The boss said: "I am fully respectful of the competition and can see the worth of it. It is not popular with everybody but for us, when we’ve got a really healthy squad, another match is good.

"I need to see players like Tolaji Bola and Haks Odoffin, who have just joined us and are here for the long term, in competitive games.

"I can mix in the lads who need game-time. I always set up to try to win. This will be trying to win with a different team."

The 16 matches in Evans' time were all league fixtures while Warne's side have gone undefeated in 13 league outings and three cup clashes.

Sixteen games is Rotherham's modern-day record for a continuous unbeaten sequence in all competitions.

They went 18 league matches without loss in their 1950/51 and 1969/1970 campaigns but both of those runs were punctuated by defeats in the FA Cup.