Rovers should welcome the return of one full back - but issues remain on the opposite flank - ahead of the trip to Wigan Athletic.

Joe Rankin-Costello filled in at left back against Bristol City in what was just his third Championship start, but he hobbled off late in the game with a muscle problem.

Rovers were already out without regular left backs Amari’i Bell and Derrick Williams, while captain Elliott Bennett operated on the right as Ryan Nyambe was ruled out with a dead leg picked up in training.

Mowbray expects the Namibian international to return at the DW Stadium having trained this week, and that boost could see Bennett switch to the left should the manager be keen to keep Stewart Downing in midfield, with Bell and Williams unlikely to feature.

The Rovers boss was coy over the fitness of 20-year-old Rankin-Costello when asked at his pre-match press conference, with his response of ‘you'll have to wait and see’ followed by a wry smile.

Mowbray opted to leave top scorer Adam Armstrong on the bench against the Robins after missing out on 10 days’ training after recording a positive Covid-19 test. But his impact off the bench, which saw him grab his 13th of the season, is expected to see him return to the starting line-up against the Latics.

The manager added that Dominic Samuel, also used off the bench last weekend, was ‘super fit’ and said all of the squad will be required in the remaining fixtures.

Asked for his latest injury update, Mowbray said: "Ryan has been training. I try not to play games with you, sometimes I don't mention things if there's an issue, but I don’t tell you lies.

"Nyambe has been training, he looks fine.

“Bell and Williams, I don't think they're going to be involved.

“But as I said, I'm expecting, and my mind is ready for issues, for problems, for niggles, for players that finish the game and you think ‘he's struggling now, he can't do it’.

"With every team, I think there are going to be surprises, particularly this run of a game every three days.

“You aren't going to recognise one team from the next game.

“I mentioned on an EFL call, there has to be integrity when it comes to team selection, even if you think your game doesn’t matter…other teams might need you to get a result, so there has to be integrity of selection.”