World Cup striker lying in wait for Rotherham United

Among the Brewers ranks is international Jon Dadi Bodvarsson who joined them last week following his release from fellow League One side Wrexham.

Now aged 32, the frontman appeared for Iceland in a 2018 World Cup 2-0 group-stage loss to Nigeria.

One of his 64 caps came when he was in the team that beat England at Euro 2016.

Bodvarsson, whose previous clubs include Wolverhampton Wanderers, Reading, Millwall and Bolton Wanderers, scored on his second appearance: the midweek triumph at Wigan Athletic.

New manager Gary Bowyer, who has presided over three defeats, three draws and one victory, describes the challenge of saving next-to-bottom Albion from the drop as his biggest-ever task as a boss.

“It's how I’ve been brought up: to take a challenge on,” he said. "We’ve got to embrace it, enjoy it and try to prove some people wrong. Jon is going to be such a valuable player for us.”

Millers manager Steve Evans travelled to the DW Stadium on Tuesday nigh to watch the Brewers beat Wigan 2-1.

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ONE TO WATCH

Forward Billy Bodin joined Burton in July after leaving Oxford United and has since scored four goals in 14 outings. Now aged 32, he started out with hometown club Swindon Town before moving on to Torquay United, Northampton Town, Bristol Rovers, Preston North End and then Oxford. After a spell out injured earlier in the campaign, he is closing in on 400 career appearances.

FORM GUIDE

Burton: LDDLDW

Millers: DWDWWW

Burton drew 1-1 at Crawley Town last Saturday before Tuesday night’s win 2-1 at Wigan Athletic.

PAST MEETING

Sep 14 2024, League One: Millers 2 Burton 2

Jonson Clarke-Harris, Cameron Humphreys

Apr 19 2022, League One: Burton 2 Millers 0

Dec 11 2021, League One: Millers 3 Burton 1

Freddie Ladapo 2, Dan Barlaser

Feb 1 2020, League One: Millers 3 Burton 2

Michael Smith 2, Ladapo

Aug 17 2019, League One: Burton 0 Millers 1

Kieran O'Hara own goal

OPPOSITION BOSS

Former Rotherham player Gary Bowyer replaced Mark Robinson in the Albion hot-seat on December 17 and got his first win in his seventh match this week. The 53-year-old is an experienced boss, having previously been in charge at Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bradford City, Salford City and Dundee. He was once interviewed for the Millers job. Injury brought his playing days to a premature end at the age of 25.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Tom Reeves is taking charge of a Rotherham match for only the second time. Ironically, his first game was also at Burton, when the Millers lost 2-0 in April 2022 during a stutter on their way to League One promotion. From Warwickshire, Reeves spent three years in the National League before being promoted to the EFL in 2021. This term, there have been three dismissals and 63 yellow cards in his 18 games.

THE ODDS

The bookies fancy Rotherham, offering an away win at 21/10 and a home triumph at 13/5. A draw is 12/5. In 16 contests between the clubs since 2019, the victory tally is 7-5 in the Millers' favour.