Rovers could be forced in to another defensive re-shuffle for this weekend’s game with Sheffield Wednesday.

Darragh Lenihan missed the defeat to Wigan Athletic with a hip injury which has been managed with injections to allow him to play in recent weeks, and remains a doubt. 

Jack Rodwell, who deputised for the Irishman at the DW Stadium, is also being assessed after a heavy collision in the opening minute of last night’s game.

That could see Paul Downing drafted back in to the team, which would mean an 11th different back four combination for Rovers in just their 20th league game.

On whether 24-year-old Lenihan would be fit, boss Tony Mowbray said: “I don’t know at this moment.

“It’s not a muscular injury, it’s a pretty big bang on his hip that has been badly bruised.

“He has been playing with injections, the two games before the international break he had injections to play and he went away on international duty and played with an injection in the first game.

“He didn’t play the second one, came back and played against Preston which wasn’t his greatest day. He took another heavy whack on it that day.

“He needs a bit of time for it to settle down but the urgency of it will be whether we need him or not.”

Rodwell stepped in against the Latics, but took a heavy knock in the early stages after being left in a heap following a poorly timed challenge from James Vaughan.

And Mowbray added: “We’re assessing Rodwell after the first minute incident.

“He’s been vomiting through the night.

“We might have some issues in that area of the pitch.

“We will assess it over the next couple of days who is available.”

Derrick Williams, a second half substitute against Wigan, has played in central defence for Rovers this season when Charlie Mulgrew has been absent.

But Mowbray admits it wouldn’t be ideal to play him alongside captain Mulgrew, given both are left footed.

When asked if two left footed players in the heart of the defence was an issue, Mowbray explained: “Generally it is for me. If I have other options then I won’t do that.

“Only because left footed players haven’t had to play right sided centre half.

“Every right footed centre half has to play on the left side.

“So it’s just about the angles that you have to approach the ball, the body shape you have, it’s all different.

“You’re throwing a left footer in to something really foreign to him.

“I played with Gary Pallister for five years, he played on the left and it became very natural to him.

“It became second nature, but if I played on the left I’m sure I would have found it very tough.”