Tom Trybull is still out with a back issue as central midfield becomes the latest area of concern for Rovers boss Tony Mowbray.

Trybull has missed the last two matches with a back spasm and has been ruled out again for the visit of Preston North End.

The on-loan Norwich City midfielder has started just 10 matches for Rovers since signing on deadline day in October, making a further five appearances off the bench, but has endured a stop-start time of things with injuries.

“He has a spasm in his back that’s uncomfortable,” Mowbray said of the 27-year-old.

“I don’t know whether that’s going to be two days, two weeks, I don’t know.

“It’s not a muscle injury that I can tell you how long it’s going to be.”

Trybull’s injury comes at a time when Rovers are already without Bradley Johnson, the experienced midfielder having limped off at Middlesbrough, and is expected to miss the remainder of the month with a hamstring strain.

The same timeframe has been given to Lewis Holtby who was replaced having himself come off the bench at QPR last weekend.

There were fears that he had sustained a recurrence of the lateral knee ligament injury that saw him miss 12 weeks last season which would  have ruled out his involvement in the remaining 19 matches.

However, Holtby himself revealed there was no damage sustained to the ligament and it is hoped the 30-year-old will be back in action before the end of February.

“Lewis is a great lad an important player for us, we suffered through his long injury last season,” Mowbray said.

“When he did the same part of his knee, his lateral ligament, last week, the fears were there for us.

“I’m delighted for Lewis, for the team and the club too of course, because we’re a few players down.

“Bradley Johnson, another left-footed central midfield player is out currently at the moment, Tom Trybull as well, and both Holtby and Trybull started the game at Preston earlier in the season where we played pretty well for a lot of the game.

“My thoughts are with Lewis. He sits in my office quite a lot and has one-on-one conversations about certain things. He’s had an addition to his family who have been away from him at times.

“It’s not been easy all the time, he’s a great lad, a fantastic human being, and it’s good for him that it’s some good news. He’d prefer not to be injured of course, but it’s not another three month injury that would have taken him to the end of the season and it’s important for Lewis he should be back within the month and helping us to try and win matches.”

Jacob Davenport is in line to make it back-to-back starts for the first time in his Rovers career alongside Lewis Travis, himself having missed three months with a knee injury before returning in December.

Corry Evans is also on the comeback trail, with two appearances for the Under-23s under his belt this month and he is expected to take the place of Holtby in the squad against North End.

“We’ve had spells with different positions unavailable, it’s not just this club, I’m sure,” Mowbray added.

“I don’t want to get wrapped up in a blame game or excuse culture if I can help it, I sometimes state the facts and it’s not easy at times.

“We have to get on, and you get judged on your results, get beat and you’re probably the worst manager in the world you don’t know what you’re doing.

“But the reality is that it’s very difficult at times, your selection almost picks itself sometimes because you haven’t got many options.”