Preview: Rotherham United vs. Bournemouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Bournemouth will be targeting top spot in the Championship when they travel to face Rotherham United on Saturday.

The Cherries are on a run of three consecutive wins after beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 on Tuesday, the same night as Rotherham lost 3-2 at Queens Park Rangers.

Match preview

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A brace from Junior Stanislas – his first two goals of the campaign – earned Bournemouth victory against Forest, keeping them a point behind league leaders Norwich City, who have also won three games in a row.

As well as Stanislas, David Brooks was also at his mesmerising best, showing his class with a superb clipped through-ball for the first goal.

The defensive performance will also have pleased Jason Tindall as his side kept a clean sheet for the first time in five matches.

They will hope to take confidence from that as they head to South Yorkshire, as Bournemouth have conceded once in each of their six away games this season and have only won twice on the road so far – both times at St Andrew's against Coventry City and Birmingham City.

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With a poor away record themselves, Rotherham will be pleased to get back to the familiar surroundings of the New York Stadium on Saturday.

Paul Warne suggested that his team showed QPR "too much respect" in the first half on Tuesday night, which ultimately cost them the game.

Rotherham were 3-1 down at the break after Rangers scored twice in first-half stoppage time, and their improved showing in the second half was only rewarded with Freddie Ladapo's 84th-minute consolation.

The Millers are now looking nervously over their shoulders as they sit just three points above the relegation zone, but will not drop in even with defeat on Saturday due to having a better goal difference.

Rotherham have not beaten Bournemouth in their last five attempts, last picking up three points against the Cherries in a League Two meeting in January 2009.

Rotherham United Championship form: WLLWLL

Bournemouth Championship form: WDLWWW

Team News

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Freddie Ladapo could be handed a start after coming off the bench to score against QPR in midweek.

Fellow substitute Jamie Lindsay also made an impact as Paul Warne praised his team's second-half performance, and the Scottish midfielder may also come into the lineup.

Jack Stacey missed Bournemouth's win over Forest with a knee injury and is a doubt for Saturday's game.

Josh King is still absent after testing positive for COVID-19, so Jason Tindall could name an unchanged team to keep momentum going.

Rotherham United possible starting lineup: Blackman; Harding, Ihiekwe, MacDonald, Mattock; Wiles, Barlaser, Lindsay; Ladapo, Smith, Jozefzoon

Bournemouth possible starting lineup: Begovic; Smith, S. Cook, Mepham, Kelly; Lerma, L. Cook, Stanislas; Brooks, Solanke, Danjuma

We say: Rotherham United 0-2 Bournemouth

Bournemouth will head into this game as heavy favourites considering the form they are in, and the quality in their side should be too much for Rotherham, who are beginning to struggle with the busy fixture list which is stretching their squad.

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