Rotherham United v Shrewsbury Town: Steve Evans on addressing results imbalance as Millers aim to keep League One season alive

It is what arrives today that could be the problem.

Following today’s game, the Millers visit Blackpool and Reading before their derby with Barnsley on February 22, with that aforesaid trio all having designs on the play-offs.

Should Steve Evans’ side get a healthy haul of points, then their top-six hopes will just about still be intact.

But it’s a big if as Rotherham seek to keep their season alive after one Wembley route was shun off after their home loss to Bradford City in the quarter-finals of the EFL.

For Evans and his side, it's first things first and while their top-half record has been reasonable, with victories against Huddersfield, Bolton, Charlton, Reading, Lincoln and Stevenage, the only sides who they have beaten in the bottom half are currently Cambridge and Northampton.

Evans, whose side have also exited all three domestic cup competitions to lower-division teams, said: “Sir Alex Ferguson always demanded at Manchester United that standards had to be maintained whoever they played.

"If they played a five-a-side game in a car-park in Austria, the team had to display a winning attitude.

"Perhaps, at times, we've subconsciously come down from that. We have 17 games left to force ourselves into that top group. Are we capable of that?

"The fact that we beat the likes of Huddersfield, Reading, Bolton and Charlton tells you that we are.”

Not for the first time at home this term, Rotherham are seeking payback after a poor performance last time out which short-changed supporters.

Evans added: “All the players in the second half, with the exception of Cameron Dawson, could have given more in the second half against Bradford.

"The best way to get players playing at the top of their game is to have strength in depth in your squad so that everyone has competition for their place.

"In two week's time we should have that, as long as we don't have any new injuries.”