Brighton v Rotherham: 5 things to look out for

Rotherham are back in action for another round of midweek Championship matches as they visit table-topping Brighton on Tuesday.

The Millers doubled their points tally in Saturday's 1-1 draw and will be keen to build on that.

Here are five things to look out for
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Can the Millers build on their 'new start'?

Millers boss Steve Evans said that his side's season started at Charlton and it's fair to say it went a lot better than the actual start to the campaign, which was frankly traumatic. Now the Millers have to build on that promising performance at the Valley and try and create some momentum. They should have fresh energy and impetus from the three loan arrivals and an imposing presence in the net while the confidence levels will definitely be on the up after the weekend. Getting anything at the Amex will be no mean feat given Brighton's electric start to the season, but Evans' men are in a better position than 10 days ago to upset the odds.

Has Evans found his favoured back four?

It may have taken five attempts but Evans could finally have put out his first-choice back four against Charlton and it resulted in a much more assured defensive performance. The ex-Sheffield Wednesday full-back pairing of Lewis Buxton and Joe Mattock are likely to be regulars, providing they can stay fit, and Danny Collins, who looked all at sea in the first few weeks of the season, was more like the defender we saw in pre-season. The key addition to the back four may well be Farrend Rawson, though, as he proved why he is rated so highly by Evans with his composed and precocious display in south London. If that quartet, backed up by Lee Camp, can get a run of games under their belt, the days of conceding three and four every week could be over.

A bonding exercise

The fixture list has not been the kindest to the Millers with Saturday's trip to the capital followed by their longest journey of the season three days later. To avoid racking up hours on the coach, the Millers have stayed in the south, training in Crawley - an area Evans and Paul Raynor know well. That will undoubtedly keep them fresh and means there can be no excuses when it comes to kick-off at the Amex. Also the mini-break will also provide crucial bonding time for the squad, who are still getting to know each other. The hope is that will help garner a spirit that has undoubtedly been missing in the early part of the term and that might have to be on show as they try and get something out of arguably their toughest game of the season to date.

Coping on the big stage

One of Rotherham's biggest weaknesses last season was that they were often sitting ducks when visiting the big teams and never looked capable of getting a result. Indeed, they only took four points from games at clubs who finished in the top half of the table, through draws at Bournemouth, Norwich, Cardiff and Charlton. It hasn't started too favourably so far this time around either, with defeats at QPR and Nottingham Forest, before another promising draw at Charlton. The trip to Brighton represents another test at a side doing well and how they fare will see what progress the Millers have made since the international break. Their chances in these types of games both last season and this have been the undermined by conceding goals at crucial times, or in quick succession, so keeping it tight will be key while, of course, sticking away any chances that come their way. Not easy against a side who have swept aside all that has come before them this season.

Evans' focus is on the job, but will he talk?

Evans insisted he is focused on his job at Rotherham, despite constant speculation linking him to the vacant managerial at Peterborough. That certainly looked the case if Saturday's performance at Charlton is anything to go by and there's no reason to suggest he will not be 100 per cent concentrated on the job on the south coast tomorrow ether. But, despite chairmen of both clubs seeming to rule it out, the speculation is still lingering and whatever his reasons for maintaining his silence on the matter, it can't be denied that it has fuelled talk of a potential exit. Sending Raynor to do his press duties last week was a clear way of dodging the matter, while he also insisted he would not talk about until after the Brighton game. Until then, we're all guessing.