Rotherham United slipped down to 19th after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.

This result confirmed the Millers second consecutive defeat on the road after being smashed 3-0 by Reading on the 24th October.

On his player's performance

After the game, manager Paul Warne admitted that his side were not at their best against the Potters.

"We did come here to win, we did not come here for a point but we just looked a little bit jaded from the midweek game, and that is on me, I probably should have made more changes.

"But sometimes you do not play at your best but you want to take something, so we would have taken a point but we were not at our best. It was not a classic one by any stretch of the imagination.”

On not making many changes ahead of the clash

Prior to the fixture the Millers only made two changes with Angus Macdonald and Shaun MacDonald replacing Richard Wood and Ben Wiles.

This is a huge comparison when comparing it to Stoke's starting eleven who made six changes going into the game, but Warne revealed that he did not want to make too many changes straight after their great result against Sheffield Wednesday in the week.

I can rotate my players, we played well midweek, it is difficult to change when you play so well. 

"But we were well aware of what Stoke have and what subs they can make, but fair play to them, they won the football game there are no complaints from me.”

On the goal

The James McClean goal which ultimately decided the outcome of the game from a Rotherham point of view was a sloppy one to concede and Warne was disappointed in the manner of how the goal went in.

It is just disappointing that the goal was a bit freakish. We play high press; we do not want teams to play out against us. 

"We ask a lot of our players out of possession but one ball straight down the middle, to lose on that, that is the bitter part for me today.

“It was route one, our centre of midfield has sort of flicked it on, gave it a bit more pace, taken it away from our centre half and they scored. 

"But if we are going to have a great season which I want the lads to have, then those little mistakes have to be eradicated."

On the Millers survival hopes

Rotherham are in their first season back in the Championship after gaining promotion from League One last campaign and they currently sit three points adrift of the relegation places.

When commenting on their chances of retaining their status in the league, Warne said: “I think we should be six or seven points better off so I am sitting in the position where we are going into every game, taking every team and trying to win every match that we are playing.

So I try not to look at the bottom of the league, I keep trying to look above us and thinking if we had not conceded a couple of last-minute goals to take two points off us so I keep thinking we should be six, seven points better off.

The Millers boss continued: “We have been more than competitive in all of the games, the lads have been great. They are disappointed when they are losing at places like Stoke 1-0 so it shows how far we have come.

“I am really confident, the lads are great, they give us everything and today we just were not at our best so no surprise that we do not take anything home with us.”

On Rotherham’s results so far

The Millers at the moment after nine games have won two, drawn three and lost four and when speaking on his thoughts about his side’s results so far this season he revealed that he feels they should have more points on the board.

I definitely think that we should have more points. We have not won any points against the run of play. I still think we need to collect points when we are not playing well.

I think out of the three promoted teams, we sit on the top of the group. It is just about making the lads believe that they are as good as I think they are.

“I think our start has been okay, but we should definitely have accumulated more points. We just have to keep fit, strong and happy and collect as much as you can."

He continued: “I have a good squad, a good group. I only have got two long term injuries; we have got no muscle injuries or anything like that, so we are fortunate in that.

We had a long pre-season to really get them fit and strong, to really get them through the winter months so I think we sit in a good position.”

On creating more chances

Finally, after Rotherham failed to register a shot on target against the Potters, Warne admitted that they need to improve on their transition in the final third.

"I would like to score more goals, but in fairness respectfully the opposition is doing their best to stop you.

"Today it was two teams trying to stop the other one from scoring and one freak goal won it. So we have to work at the final third of the pitch but there are other things we have to work on as well.

“But with the two games a week at the moment, it is difficult to do anything on the training pitch apart from a walkthrough.”

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