Acrrington Stanley v Rotherham United: Record-chasers are now targeting 50 points

The Millers are on a club record run of 21 undefeated matches in all competitions and are two games away from equalling their best-ever run without defeat at league level, which stands at 18.

Victory at Accrington on Boxing Day – should the game take place – would also afford the Millers another huge psychological moment, by way of them hitting the fifty-point mark for the season before the year is out.

Given the Millers’ magnificent feats so far this season, it would be somewhat fitting if they did.

Manager Paul Warne said: “That would be pretty amazing and a real positive sign.

“I know this run is not going to last, it is going to end sooner or later. We have just got to make hay while the sun shines. Because there will be problems ahead.

“There will be a lack of form or injury crisis and Covid might hit us. We just need to collect as much as we can while we can.”

Warne has reiterated his call for the re-introduction of the nine substitutes’ rule in the EFL – on the grounds of player welfare – with the number of postponements stacking up again in the EFL due to the Omicron variant.

From November last season, all EFL sides were able to bring on five substitutes as opposed to three and name nine players on the bench – in order to cope with a tightened schedule of games in 2020-21 due to Covid. The rule was scrapped last summer.

Ahead of a January and February schedule which has the capacity to be hit by further weather-induced postponements, Warne believes that allowing two extra substitutes on the field of play in games would assist all clubs. 

Warne, whose side were badly affected by postponements last season, said: “The only thing I’d like to see re-introduced is the nine substitutes (rule) with five available to use. Because with this amount of games and with people having illnesses coming back from Covid, enabling you to make more changes during games is a better way for us to get our players healthier.”

Last six games: Accrington LWDWLW; Rotherham DDWWWW.

Referee: A Kitchen (Durham).

Last time: Accrington 1 Rotherham 2, February 22, 2020; League One.