Rovers have plenty of contenders to fill in the No.10 role that Bradley Dack has made his own, but boss Tony Mowbray admits it is another thing to do it as well as the 10-goal top scorer.

Dack is unavailable for the trip to Bristol City after the first red card of his Rovers career at Swansea City that will end his ever-present record this season.

The likes of Lewis Holtby, Joe Rothwell and Ben Brereton could operate in the role behind the main striker, but Mowbray also hasn’t ruled out switching formations for the Ashton Gate trip with the 25-year-old unavailable.

Mowbray named the same team for a fourth consecutive match at Swansea, the first time he has done so during his time in charge.

He admits the turnaround from Wednesday night to Saturday afternoon would always have meant changes were likely at Bristol City.

Dack, who has started 27 consecutive Championship matches, wouldn’t likely have been one to be rested, but his absence could well provide an opportunity for Holtby to start, for the first time since the Barnsley win on November 23, in his more favoured central role.

“I think we’ve got a few players who can play where Bradley Dack plays. Whether we’ve got someone who can do it as well as Bradley Dack is another question,” the boss explained.

“Rothwell can do it, Brereton, Holtby, I think we’ll be fine. Who’s to say we don’t change formation and play a totally different way to give them a new focus?

“I said to them that the plan would be to make some changes anyway.

“This isn’t a Saturday afternoon to Wednesday night, this is a Wednesday night to Saturday afternoon. The recovery time is a lot different.

“We will make changes on Saturday. Hopefully the lads who’ve bene kicking their heels not getting on are ready, hungry and something to show and prove that they want to be playing.

“Hopefully we’ll get the benefits of that.”

Mowbray felt referee Jeremy Simpson was simply levelling up the numbers by showing Dack a second yellow card having already sent off Swansea midfielder Tom Carroll.

He will now serve a one match ban and not be available until Wigan Athletic visit Ewood Park on Monday, December 23, with no appeal process available given it was two yellow cards.

The referee felt Dack stepped over the ball, catching Swansea midfielder Matt Grimes in the process, but Mowbray saw things differently.

“He apologised to everyone in the dressing room for getting sent off when we were on top with an extra man,” the Rovers boss added.

“I’ve watched it, sometimes there can be a bit of bias, but I really can’t see what he’s done.

“He’s not stepped over the top of the ball and stood on someone, he’s basically just backed in to the lad. I think the official had a difficult night.

“There’s nothing we can do, we can’t change it. Bradley will obviously be disappointed.”