Tony Mowbray is keen to see more of the ‘positive signs’ he’s witnessed in pre-season when Rovers host Everton tonight (7.45pm).

The Ewood boss is likely to hand 90 minutes to a number of players in their final pre-season home match with the new season just over a week away.

Mowbray has mixed and matched his line-ups so far this summer, with Rovers having recorded two wins, a draw and a defeat from their four matches so far.

But the line-up tonight is more likely to move towards one which could mirror the team which takes to the field at Ipswich Town in the Championship opener on Saturday week.

Rovers round off their six pre-season friendlies with a trip to neighbours Accrington Stanley on Saturday, with each member of the squad likely to play 90 minutes either tonight or at the Wham Stadium.

“Quite a lot of the players will get 90 minutes against Everton and then quite a lot of the players will get 90 minutes at Accrington,” Mowbray said.

“Then we’re ready to go.

“I’ve never believed that come the first game of the season everyone’s 100 per cent fit and played loads of 90 minutes.

“It’s a progression. We could play 90 minutes now if we needed to but we have a couple of weeks left and we’ll make sure everyone is ready by then and everyone will have played 90 minutes by then I’m sure and trained really hard.”

A squad of 21 travelled to Sunday’s win at Lincoln City, though Rovers have since allowed Scott Wharton to leave on loan.

Mowbray is still looking to boost his squad’s numbers before the new campaign given their shortage of attacking options.

Sam Hart and Ben Gladwin are still short of fitness and aren’t expected to feature against Everton, though Danny Graham made a welcome return at Sincil Bank.

Three outfield players, Paul Downing, Lewis Travis and Dominic Samuel have played 90 minutes so far but the Rovers boss says training has been at a high level during the off season.

Mowbray added: “We have done 90 minute and two hour training sessions to allow the stamina levels to be up constantly on the training ground.

“Sometimes in the middle of a season with two games a week there will be times where we will be training less than an hour a day and making sure the intensity is right.

“The players have worked really hard and I think there are plenty of positive signs.

“We’re looking forward to a good test against Everton.”

Everton have endured mixed pre-season in terms of results, failing to score in their two Algarve Cup fixtures last weekend.

They lost 2-0 to Porto and drew 0-0 with Lille, having drawn 1-1 with Bury in their only domestic friendly to date.

Marco Silva will once again be without goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after his World Cup commitments with England.

But there is the possibility that new £50m signing Richarlison, who signed from Watford on Tuesday night, could feature.