Corry Evans has been forced to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad after adding his name to the Rovers injury list.

Evans was substituted after just four minutes in the win over QPR after sustaining a hamstring injury inside 90 seconds.

The midfielder was making his fifth Championship start of the season after being recalled to the side, but was replaced by John Buckley after picking up the hamstring injury when stretching for the ball.

The 30-year-old, who has already missed three matches this season with a toe injury, was set to go away with Northern Ireland ahead of their triple-header of matches which includes a Euro 2020 play-off final against Slovakia in Belfast on Thursday.

However, the midfielder, who has 62 caps for his country and featured in all three matches last month, has been forced to withdraw from Ian Baraclough’s squad, with Tony Mowbray fearing Evans could be set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

Asked about the injury, the Rovers manager said: “We'll get him scanned. He's obviously upset because he'll miss a big game for Northern Ireland. It doesn't look a minor hamstring injury I'd have to say.”

Rovers have had availability issues all season, not least in midfield where they have been without Lewis Travis for two months with a knee problem.

Joe Rothwell and Bradley Johnson both started the win over QPR, but have both been forced to self-isolate at different stages this season, while Tom Trybull was only fit enough for the bench after struggling with a rib problem.

Evans has added himself to the absentee list, which included Lewis Holtby at the weekend.

The German midfielder had started nine of Rovers’ opening 10 matches, and was scheduled to started against QPR, only to report a high temperature on the eve of the game.

He has tested negative for coronavirus, but wasn’t well enough to be included.

“Lewis Holtby phoned me at 11.15 on Friday night telling me that he’d got a 38.6 temperature,” Mowbray said.

“Yet he had a negative test, because he’d wanted to go and see his wife and newborn child in Germany so he’d had a test to fly out there.

“He might just have normal flu.

“I only mention Holtby because he had a negative test but then phoned me up, so he might just have a temperature and a normal cold.”

Rovers now have a two-week break from action, their next Championship fixture coming at Luton Town on November 21.