Star Rotherham United striker could be back to face Peterborough United as the form guide and big match odds suggest an away win on New Year's Day

The 27 year-old has missed chunks of this season with hamstring and quad issues and was again absent from Rotherham’s 4-0 defeat Blackpool on Monday.

Nombe has averaged more than a goal every other game when he has been available this term. He’s netted six times in 10 appearances, including a goal in each of his last two appearances in defeats against Huddersfield and Bolton. He picked up a hamstring issue at Bolton, but it’s not thought to be serious.

Rotherham are also expected to appeal a straight red card for defender Jamal Baptiste that was picked up at Blackpool.

CURRENT FORM

Rotherham are rock bottom of the League One current form table with one point from their last six matches. They have lost their last five games to slip to third bottom. Manager Matt Hamshaw called the display at Blackpool this week as ‘awful.’ Posh are fifth in the same current form table, behind Lincoln, Bradford, Cardiff and Blackpool, with 13 points.

Rotherham have won four and lost three of their 10 League One home matches. They have beaten Port Vale, Exeter, Orient and, most impressively, Lincoln City who they saw off 3-0. They have lost to Stockport, Blackpool and Huddersfield.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Dutch midfielder Denzel Hall is ‘The Millers’ second top scorer behind Nombe with three League One goals. Powerful forward Jordan Hugill broke his nose at Blackpool on Monday so could miss the visit of Posh. His injury after an accidental collision was described as ‘horrific’ after the match by Hamshaw.

Full-back Reece James was part of the Sheffield Wednesday squad that beat Posh in a dramatic League One play-off semi-final in May 2023. He scored in the 5-1 win for Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Former Stamford AFC winger Jack Holmes is at Rotherham. He has made just three sub appearances in League One this season.

PAST MEETINGS

Posh have a grim record in away Football League games at Rotherham. They have won two and lost nine of 18 meetings.

Posh last picked up three points at this venue in September 2013 when they emerged from a battering from a side managed by Steve Evans with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Grant McCann penalty. The other Posh success arrived in a Division Three game in 1977. Again it was 1-0 with Gary Sargent the goalscorer.

Rotherham have won the last two meetings, 2-1 on the final day of last season after Abraham Odoh had fired Posh into an early lead and 4-0 in 2019 when Frankie Kent was sent off for Posh.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Matthew Corlett is the referee for New Year’s Day. He made his Championship debut earlier this week when overseeing Watford’s win at Norwich City. He refereed a 3-0 defeat for Posh at Exeter in August and he was the man in the middle for last season’s 2-2 draw at Burton Albion.

BIG MATCH ODDS

Posh are 13-10 favourites to win at Rotherham with Sky Bet. Rotherham are 15-8 with the draw at 11-5.