Derby stage set for Rotherham United new arrival Jordi Osei-Tutu

The Arsenal flyer linked up with the Millers this week following a delay in his loan move and has already done enough in training to be in Paul Warne's thinking for the Hillsborough clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Osei-Tutu has similar electric pace to wing-back Chiedozie Ogbene and the manager said: "He's trained really well. He looks perfect for us. He's a really good addition. He'll be in the matchday squad for sure."

The League One table-toppers head to S6 to take on the seventh-placed Owls without injured trio striker Will Grigg, wing-back Mickel Miller and centre-half Rarmani Edmonds-reen.

But they are boosted by the return of central defender and captain Richard Wood after a ban and midfielder Ollie Rathbone following a back issue.

Each team have won five of their last six league outings and Warne is predicting plenty of goals when two form teams collide.

"I think it might be a game that comes down to one incident," he said. I also see it being a high-scoring game, which I know sounds ridiculous considering both teams have kept numerous clean sheets.

"Both teams will go for the win. We have no intention of going to Hillsborough and looking for a draw. I'm not giving it the 'big un' but that's not how we play.

"We'll play on the front foot and be vulnerable at the back. Wednesday will play on the front foot, and the demand of their crowd is that they dominate the ball and create chances. They'll be left vulnerable at the back as well."

Rotherham are 13 points ahead of Wednesday and looking to avenge a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Owls at AESSEAL New York Stadium in August.

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ROTHERHAM United old boy Matt Crooks can expect a Sunday afternoon call if the Millers take the spoils in this weekend’s South Yorkshire derby.

The last time Paul Warne’s side headed to Hillsborough, in March last year, the midfielder captained them to a famous last-gasp 2-1 triumph against Sheffield Wednesday.

Regular skipper Richard Wood was out of action that night as Crooks set up Freddie Ladapo for a stunning 97th-minute winner.

And he took some good-natured stick from his close friend and teammate on social media when the man everyone knows as ‘Tree’ moved to Middlesbrough in the summer.

“I’ve done something Woody never has,” Crooks tweeted. “I’ve captained a winning Millers team at Hillsborough!”

Wood should be back in the starting 11 for Sunday’s noon kick-off against his former side after serving a one-match ban against AFC Wimbledon in midweek.

Rotherham head down the Parkway to S6 in top spot in League One and he said: “We’re going there for the win. I always like playing against one of my old clubs.

“I’ve won there a few times since I left but I haven’t captained a winning Millers team there. Tree was just trying to wind me up. We need to win on Sunday and then I’ll be straight on the phone to him.”

Even though he wasn’t at the match, Wood has vivid memories of the encounter 11 months ago as both sides were fighting in vain to stay in the Championship.

“I was watching on TV at home with my boys and going mental when we scored in the dying seconds,” he recalled.

It’s 12 years since he last kicked a ball for the club he joined as a youngster. He moved on to Coventry City and then Charlton Athletic before joining Rotherham for whom he’s now in his eighth season.

“There’s hardly anyone left at Hillsborough from my time there,” he said. “I think there’s just the kitman, Ash. I’ll seek him out to say ‘hello’.

“Their defender, Liam Palmer, was coming through the youth ranks with my brother but he was in a lower age group to me so we never played together.”

The Owls, just outside the play-off places, are in a good run of form with five wins in six matches.

The Millers are seeking revenge for August’s 2-0 loss to them at AESSEAL New York Stadium when they dominated the first half and had a penalty saved before the visitors struck twice after the break.

Boss Warne summed up what Sunday’s clash means.

“Life is about experiences, life is about journeys, life is about living in the moment,” he said.

“If ever there is a time as a Rotherham fan or member of staff to watch a football game and live in the moment a derby against a team in blue is right up there.

“They are days to be enjoyed. Even if you’re feeling pain you know you are alive. As a manager, it’s a privilege to be a part of occasions like this.”

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One to watch

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is a player Rotherham United have tried to sign in the past. The wing-back has become a key man for Sheffield Wednesday since joining them as a free agent in November following his release by Middlesbrough. The 29-year-old, whose previous clubs include Rochdale and Cardiff City, has scored twice in nine appearances.

Form guide

Millers: WDWWWW

Owls: WLWWWW

Wednesday beat second-placed Wigan Athletic 1-0 at home on Tuesday.

Last time out

Rotherham dominated up to the break at New York Stadium in August but Kieran Sadlier’s 45th-minute penalty, that would have given them a deserved lead, was saved. Wednesday took advantage of their let-off and second-half goals from Florian Kamberi and Lee Gregory inflicted a 2-0 defeat on the Millers.

Recent clashes

Mar 3 2021, Championship:

Owls 1 Millers 2 (Michael Smith, Freddie Ladapo)

Oct 28 2020, Championship:

Millers 3 (Jamie Lindsay 2, Dan Barlaser pen) Owls 0

Aug 28 2019, EFL Cup:

Millers 0 Owls 1

Feb 16 2019, Championship:

Millers 2 (Jon Taylor, Richie Towell) Owls 2

Dec 8 2018, Championship:

Owls 2 Millers 2 (Michael Smith, Richie Towell)

Rival boss

Darren Moore had a long career as a centre-half, playing for, among others, Barnsley, West Bromwich Albion and Doncaster Rovers. As a boss, Moore had West Brom in play-off contention in the Championship but was sacked and moved to Doncaster. The job he did in making Rovers a League One top-six outfit saw Wednesday come calling for the 47-year-old last March. A play-off place looks to be the best they can hope for this season.

Man in the middle

Darren Drysdale has been on the EFL List for 17 years and last refereed the Millers when they won 2-0 at Cheltenham Town in early October. This season the Lincolnshire official, who is a sergeant in the RAF, has issued 85 yellow cards and three reds in 24 matches.

The odds

The Millers are slight favourites to come away with the points from Hillsborough.

Owls

1-0: 8/1

2-0: 12/1

2-1: 9/1

3-0: 25/1

3-1: 18/1

3-2: 27/1

4-0: 70/1

4-1: 60/1

4-2: 90/1

Draw

0-0: 8/1

1-1: 5/1

2-2: 12/1

3-3: 55/1

4-4: 200/1

Millers

1-0: 7/1

2-0: 10/1

2-1: 8/1

3-0: 25/1

3-1: 16/1

3-2: 25/1

4-0: 65/1

4-1: 50/1

4-2: 66/1