Rotherham United vs Barnsley - Rotherham hope Joe Newell will be fit and available for derby against Barnsley

Posted Thursday, January 26, 2017 by PA

Rotherham will monitor the fitness of Joe Newell ahead of the South Yorkshire derby with Barnsley at New York Stadium.

The midfielder pulled out of the 4-0 defeat at Newcastle last week after feeling a groin injury in the warm-up but the Millers hope he will be fit.

Goalkeeper Lewis Price also missed the St James' Park clash for family reasons and he should be back in the squad while Danny Ward (back) should also be involved.

That's where the good news ends, though, as Lee Frecklington (ankle), Kirk Broadfoot (back), Lee Camp (knee), Jonson Clarke-Harris (knee) and Dexter Blackstock (hamstring) all occupy the treatment room.

Barnsley head coach Paul Heckingbottom will have to cope without midfielder Conor Hourihane and defender James Bree after the pair joined Championship rivals Aston Villa.

Hourihane signed a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee on Thursday, the day after Bree made the move to Villa Park after agreeing a four-and-a-half year contract.

Heckingbottom at least has no new injury concerns and can call on new signing Matty James after the midfielder joined the Reds on loan from Premier League champions Leicester.

Midfielder Marley Watkins, who has scored six goals in the league this season, handed in a transfer request this week that the club have rejected.