Rotherham United boss Paul Warne on Huddersfield Town links as Middlesbrough's Chris Wilder digs deep

Following Rotherham United's goalless draw at Middlesbrough, Warne - in his own inimitable style - addressed rumoured links with the vacant Huddersfield Town post after his betting odds shortened.

Social media was awash with talk before Saturday's game that Wilder could be under significant pressure if his side followed up their poor midweek home loss to Cardiff with another setback.

A better defensive performance saw Boro claim just their second clean sheet of the campaign. But a run of just two wins in 10 matches is way off expectations and the Teessiders find themselves in the relegation positions heading into the international break.

Wilder has been around the game long enough to know that his side's form must improve on the resumption and pretty quickly.

Warne, by contrast, has presided over the Millers' best start to a season at this level since 1965-66. They reside in eighth spot.

On whether speculation regarding the Town job was news to him, Warne said: "It’s not news to me I’ve been linked to it as I'd be an absolute liar if I said: 'Wow, that's not true' (I don’t know about speculation).

"Considering I had one of my mates text me and say: 'Is it true because I have put a bet on’. Because that's how I know about it!’

"Obviously, if I was getting the job, I am not allowed to tell him anyway.. So I would have to do some 'smoke signal' thing, but I wouldn't tell him as I'd get done and sacked!

"But it is nothing. I personally have not spoken to Huddersfield. Huddersfield, I don't believe, have come out and said 'Paul Warne is our man'. I am expecting them to get a different manager. I have had no contact at all.

"From my point of view, there's no truth to it."

Wilder and Boro are doing it tough undeniably. Form issues are clearly apparent, but application and togetherness did not look in question on Saturday at least.

This is a team who are fighting for each other. What they lack is not commitment, but a bit of conviction. They are badly missing the energy of Marcus Tavernier in midfield after his departure.

Wilder said: "It is obvious we are not playing as well as we have done.

"But when you look in the changing room and look to your left and right, we’ve not got any deserters or anybody doing their own thing or not pulling in the right direction. When you have, you are in trouble. We haven't.

"We are ten games in and I am not sat here absolutely elated with our position and the last couple of performances. We are going through that little period of doubt for everybody, which is understandable as everybody looks at the league table and does not expect us to be here.

"We will come good and be okay."

It is certainly more than okay at the minute for Rotherham.

Warne added: "The lads have been good. I always say to them all the time 'play like it's your last game'. I manage like it's my last game and you just don't know what is going to happen and that's the truth.”