Rovers return from their two week break at Aston Villa this weekend, with attacker Adam Armstrong believing it came at the right time for Tony Mowbray’s men.

Just one win in nine matches has seen Rovers tumble down the table ahead of a daunting trip to Villa Park this weekend.

The break has allowed some key figures to regain full fitness, with Darragh Lenihan, Charlie Mulgrew, Jack Rodwell and Amari’i Bell all pushing to be fit for this weekend’s game.

Corry Evans is a doubt, having not featured for Northern Ireland during the international break, but Mowbray’s options are expected to be boosted ahead of the final eight games.

It has been a tough post-January run for Rovers who have taken four points from the last 27 available since January, cutting short any hopes of a possible push for a top six finish.

Sitting firmly in mid-table, Armstrong vowed: “We needed the break. We’re raring to go.

“We need to finish strong to show how good a season we’ve had.”

Armstrong will hope to earn a recall at Villa Park this weekend having been dropped to the bench for the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last time out.

Like Rovers, the 21-year-old has struggled to replicate the form in January, when the attacker scored four times as he won the Championship’s player of the month prize.

Armstrong finished last season on nine goals, and has eight this term, and will be looking to reach double figures in the final eight matches.

The remaining eight games start with a trip to Aston Villa, with Rovers returning to Ewood Park next Saturday against Stoke City.

And Armstrong is hoping Rovers can put their recent run behind them and put in a strong finish.

He added: “We know we’ve been on a bit of a bad run, but it’s about bouncing back and finishing the season strong.

“I think we’ve been playing well, but we’re not getting that bit of luck, that bit of fortune.

Rovers lost three games in a row in December, before following that up with a perfect haul of points in January.

What followed was four defeats in five matches in February, and March has brought one win and three more defeats.

But for Armstrong, he believes that is typically of the division, telling the club website: “We’ve had a dip in form, but most teams in the Championship have had that.

“We take every game as it comes and we’ll continue to do that. Let’s keep on focussing and try to win the next few games.”