Battle of the managerless teams ... Rotherham United v Swansea City preview as Jerry Yates returns to New York Stadium

The Championship Swans dispensed with the services of Michael Duff earlier this week and have placed assistant head coach Alan Sheehan in charge until a successor is appointed.

The former Notts County and Luton Town defender will lead the team for the first time against the Millers who are also without a permanent boss.

Duff, who excelled at League One Barnsley last season, lasted only five months in the hot-seat at Swansea.com Stadium and paid the price for his side winning only one of their last eight matches, a run that has left them in 18th spot.

Swans chairman Andy Coleman said: “We have seen neither the results that we expect or the progress from the squad that we need.”

Swansea long-term injury absentees centre-half Nathan Wood and attacker Josh Ginnelly will miss the clash while midfield duo Joe Allen and Azeem Abdulai and forward Mykola Kukharevych are also like to be ruled out.

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One to watch

Former Rotherham United striker Jerry Yates is Swansea's leading Championship scorer this season, with five goals in 19 outings. The Millers youth product’s career had stalled in South Yorkshire after 50-plus appearances brought only five goals but he went on to excel at Swindon Town and then at Blackpool to earn a £2.5-million move to the Swans in the summer.

Form guide

Millers: DDLDLD

Swansea: WDLDLD

In their most recent games, the Swans lost at Leeds United and then drew at home to Huddersfield Town.

Recent meetings

​Feb 27, 2023, Championship: Swans 1 Millers 1

Chiedozie Ogbene

Jul 30, 2022, Championship: Millers 1 Swans 1

Ogbene

Jan 30, 2021, Championship: Millers 1 Swans 3

Freddie Ladapo

Nov 21, 2020, Championship: Swans 1 Millers 0

Apr 19, 2019, Championship: Swans 4 Millers 3

Michael Ihiekwe, Matt Crooks, Will Vaulks

Man in the middle

Lincolnshire official Josh Smith started refereeing in the Peterborough and District Junior Alliance League in 2006 at the age of 14 and made his debut in League Two in 2019. His first Championship appointment came the season after. He was the man with the whistle when Rotherham lost 2-1 at Bristol City in late July last season when the Millers were closing in on Championship survival. He is one of the youngest refs in the EFL.

The odds

It’s 5/2 on a Millers triumph and 21/20 on a Swans triumph, with a draw at 23/10. Rotherham have won 25 of the 82 matches between the clubs since 1951 and Swansea's victory total is 30.