Paul Warne delays Rotherham United team selection to assess fall-out from record win over Sheffield Wednesday

The Millers 3-0 victory was not only their biggest over the Owls, but their first at home in the league since 1973. Even without the euphoria of fans in the ground, it was a big deal for Warne's players.

There was also the physical exertion of playing on a Wednesday night, whereas Stoke have had an extra day to recover ahead of Saturday's Championship meeting in the Potteries. Leading 3-0 at half-time, and with the Owls playing with ten men from the 39th minute, it was a more taxing game than it ought to have been because the Millers did not keep the ball as well as manager Warne and his visibly frustrated assistant Richie Barker hoped in the second half.

With competition for places growing at the New York Stadium, Warne thinks his players will all want to play, and he is therefore sceptical about taking their word on their fitness.

“We've got some knocks and bumps and bruises, Freddie (Ladapo), Mickel (Miller) and Woody (Richard Wood) are all a bit sore,” he revealed. “I want to have another good look at them on Friday. We trained on Thursday but a few of them didn't go on the grass.

“We have got some problems as everybody else has but the good thing is we've got competition for places and I'll have a looking at training before we name the team, which is a bit unique for us but because of the quick turnaround if I ask the players if they're fully fit you'll be very surprised to hear they tell me they are, then they go limping out, dragging one leg behind them.

“I'll watch the training, get the information into them and name the team on Saturday.

“There was an opportunity to conserve energy but we didn't. The lads when they got the ball back there wasn't a need to go bang, bang bang and be relentless because the game was in their grasp.”

Fortunately for Warne, he has the options to make changes if he wishes. Angus MacDonald is back from suspension if Wood's quad injury keeps the centre-back out. Namesake Shaun could stiffen the midfield against a physical Stoke side, strikers George Hirst and Michael Smith both forced saves from Cameron Dawson's in Wednesday's second half and Kieran Sadlier ought to be fresh having played only 14 minutes from the bench since the international break if Miller is not. Matty Crooks was also on the bench in midweek.

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