Jarrad Branthwaite is primed to answer Rovers’ defensive injury crisis by starting tomorrow’s game with Stoke City.

Branthwaite was at Brockhall yesterday to complete his loan move from Everton, with his debut expected to follow against the Potters.

That comes as Daniel Ayala faces at least another three weeks out with a hamstring strain, and Scott Wharton and Derrick Williams out for the season, and will allow Bradley Johnson to revert to his more customary central midfield role.

The 33-year-old has been forced to slot in alongside Darragh Lenihan at the back, but Mowbray was pleased to welcome the teenager on board on a deal until the end of the season.

Asked whether Branthwaite will be thrown straight in, Mowbray said: “Potentially. I don’t see why not.

“He’s been around it, been playing, been on the bench for the first-team, he’s played Under-23s football, he’s a young, robust guy who I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be pushing really hard to start.”

The 18-year-old has already played four times in the Premier League having signed from Carlisle United 12 months ago.

Branthwaite is highly-rated by his parent club, and manager Carlo Ancelotti, and Mowbray feels he will prove to be a shrewd addition.

“I generally look at their assets and their attributes and try and fit that into how we want to play.

“I think he has a lot of attributes that will help our team moving forward," he added.

“He’s young, but he’s had a pretty meteoric rise from 14 games for Carlisle to playing four in the Premier League. That’s a huge jump and he did it pretty seamlessly.

“I’ve got every confidence that the attributes he brings will be able to help us, give us a balance, and I hope we can help him get closer to becoming a regular in Everton’s first team.

“I’m pretty sure the only reason he’s out here is that Carlo thinks he’s going to be around their first-team squad next year on a pretty regular basis and I think he’s got the ability to do that.”

Branthwaite's ability to play on the left side of the central defensive pairing is another plus for Mowbray who is looking forward to his side building on their win, and clean sheet, last time out in the Championship against Birmingham City.

“He looks the part to me, and having met and chatted to him he’s a calm, bright, intelligent guy who’s looking forward to the challenge and where he wants to go in his career," Mowbray said.

“I think he does what it says on the tin and we’ll hopefully help him and help Everton and ourselves to make it a good loan.”