Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs Rotherham United - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to continue a strong start to life back in League One, Doncaster Rovers will welcome Rotherham United to the Eco-Power Stadium for a Yorkshire derby on Saturday.

After winning promotion last time around, the hosts find themselves eighth at this early stage of the season, while their visitors are six points worse off in 17th spot.

Match preview

Doncaster Rovers head into the weekend in search of a third straight win in all competitions to extend a fine start to their season, having enjoyed a seamless transition in England's third tier thus far after winning League Two last time around.

After five league outings, Grant McCann's side sit in the top eight having earned 10 points, winning three of those games including their first two attempts against Exeter City and Mansfield Town.

A draw with Wycombe Wanderers and an away defeat to promotion-hopefuls Huddersfield Town then followed, but the Yorkshire outfit were able to bounce back to winning ways last weekend, visiting fellow promoted side Port Vale and leaving with all three points as Owen Bailey scored the only goal early in the second half.

The Rovers built on that result in midweek, too, as they travelled to fourth-tier Accrington Stanley and progressed to the EFL Cup third round with a 2-0 victory, as Bailey again opened the scoring 15 minutes from time and Ben Close added a second.

With confidence continuing to grow at the Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster Rovers will now bid to make it four wins from six league games and six from eight in all competitions this season with the chance to climb as high as the top two depending on results elsewhere, with three sides only leading them on goal difference.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip at the weekend aiming to bounce back from a slow start to their season and end a winless run.

Now in their second consecutive League One campaign and first full one under the management of Matt Hamshaw, Rotherham United find themselves 17th having only managed four points from their first four attempts, three of which came from an opening-day win over Port Vale.

The Millers went on to suffer away defeats at the hands of Stevenage and Cardiff City, before they led Wigan Athletic 2-1 at the New York Stadium on Saturday through Shaun McWilliams and Martin Sherif, only for Paul Mullin to force a 2-2 draw with an 88th-minute leveller.

Hamshaw's side now head into a second consecutive Yorkshire derby on the back of a midweek EFL Cup defeat, having visited Barnsley on Tuesday and exited following a 2-1 loss despite leading through Ar'Jany Martha, as Jon Russell and Adam Phillips turned the tie around in the second half.

Having failed to kick on from an underwhelming 2024-25 season thus far, Rotherham United will now hope to end their rut and kickstart an improved streak with a victory on the road on Saturday.

Doncaster Rovers League One form:

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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

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Rotherham United League One form:

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Rotherham United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Doncaster Rovers will remain without Jamie Sterry and Robbie Gotts on Saturday due to ongoing injury issues.

Grant McCann rotated his side for their midweek cup tie, and despite their dominant display, we should see the Rovers revert to the same starting XI from last week's 1-0 win over Port Vale, with veteran Billy Sharp and star man Luke Molyneux returning to the attack.

George Broadbent and captain Owen Bailey should displace Ben Close and Charlie Crew in the engine room, while Jay McGrath and Connor O'Riordan face competition from Matty Pearson for their centre-back spots.

Rotherham United are still unable to call on key attacker Sam Nombe, who picked up an injury in the second game of the season after netting an opening-day brace, while Josh Benson, Zak Jules, Kian Spence and Joshua Kayode could also miss out again.

Martin Sherif should keep his place up front, after the 19-year-old Everton loanee opened his account on debut last weekend against Wigan, leaving Kion Etete and Jordan Hugill to compete for the other attacking spot.

Shaun McWilliams, Ar'Jany Martha and Dru Yearwood will all compete to feature from the outset, after Marvin Kaleta joined Daniel Gore and Liam Kelly in the engine room last time out in League One.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lo-Tutala; Nixon, O'Riordan, Pearson, Senior; Bailey, Broadbent; Molyneux, Clifton, Middleton; Sharp

Rotherham United possible starting lineup:

Dawson; Rafferty, Raggett, James; Hall, Yearwood, Kelly, McWilliams, Powell; Sherif, Etete

We say: Doncaster Rovers 2-1 Rotherham United

Growing in confidence and momentum after their promotion and boasting the quality to compete again in League One, we back Doncaster Rovers to come out on top at home to a Rotherham United side who are yet to get going under Hamshaw.

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