Corry Evans is set to return to the Rovers starting XI at Wigan tomorrow night having missed the chastening defeat to Preston last weekend owing to his international exertions.

Evans played twice for Northern Ireland during the two-week break and with Rovers having three games in seven days, boss Tony Mowbray opted to leave the 28-year-old out at Deepdale.

Rovers suffered a 4-1 reverse to Preston and Evans is likely to earn a recall for the clash at the DW Stadium tomorrow.

But Mowbray has no regrets over his decision to leave out the Northern Ireland man.

“He played twice for his country. I watched both games and it was a mercy substitution in the second game when he came off after 87 minutes,” Mowbray said of the midfielder.

“He had ran himself in to the ground.

“He had expended a lot of energy during the internationals and there were others who hadn’t, they’d had a rest, and I felt it was the right thing to do to leave him out.

“Corry was fine with that.”

Rovers suffered just a fourth defeat of the season at Preston, their third away from home and second by a 4-1 scoreline.

Mowbray rued the ‘uncharacteristic’ defending from his side in the defeat and he could ring the changes against the Latics.

“Let’s hope so,” Mowbray said of a response at Wigan. “It’s another opportunity for three points.

“You’re going to lose matches in this league given the way it is.

“If you are below the standards that you normally set then you will get beaten and that was the case on Saturday.”

Rovers shipped four goals for the second time this term, having lost 4-1 to Bristol City as well as conceding three in the defeat at Swansea last month.

Mowbray has been hit by injuries in defence so far this season, but it was a more recognised back four at Preston with recalls for Ryan Nyambe, Charlie Mulgrew and Derrick Williams.

The trio, along with Darragh Lenihan, have been mainstays in defence under Mowbray, but the boss admitted they need to improve on their weekend displays.

He added: “The lads have got a lot of stock with me, a lot of brownie points in the bag for their defending over almost two years now.

 “I’m trying not to be too harsh on them, but it simply has to be better, it has to be stronger if we are to achieve what we want to this season.”