Two Sky Sports tweets advertising Rovers’ televised clash with Preston North End suggested it was a chance to ‘watch the Liverpool loanee in action’.

The build-up centred around the talented 17-year-old who was last week the subject of a tribunal between his current club Liverpool, and former, in Fulham.

There were headlines from those of a Liverpool persuasion suggesting Mowbray would be questioned on such a decision, while Sky Sports still went ahead with their pre-prepared analysis ahead of the game.

Yet there wasn’t much of a murmur from Rovers fans about Elliott’s non-selection. Indeed, the team itself was fairly universally welcomed. It’s what came once the game kicked off, and some of the changes took effect, that some supporters took issue with.

Elliott had been nominated for the January player of the month prize after claiming assists for three of Rovers’ five goals, yet most would argue that he wasn’t Rovers’ best contributor, with Thomas Kaminski, Darragh Lenihan and Barry Douglas contenders for that prize.

That’s not denying the fine contribution Elliott has made since his loan move, and at times he’s carried this side, been the player they’ve turned to when they’ve needed something to happen, and his minutes suggest he’s been a key part of what they’ve done. He's destined for huge things and his loan spell has been an undoubted successive.

Proof comes in the fact that Elliott had made 14 consecutive Championship starts since last being rested, that being against the same opposition in November, though that had no bearing on Mowbray’s decision here.

That is the only other time he’s been left on the bench.

In between those two Preston games came 14 consecutive starts, with only Darragh Lenihan and Adam Armstrong as outfield players clocking up more minutes.

Yet Elliott has been substituted six times in that period, and hasn’t been himself in some of those.

It’s worth remembering that prior to signing for Rovers he’d made just five substitute appearances in the Premier League, and seven cup starts, and now he’s been thrust into the most packed schedule Championship clubs have ever seen.

So that is more than understandable.

Mowbray regularly comments too how it’s hard to get Elliott, undoubtedly because of enthusiasm, off the training ground.

So adding all that into the equation, it felt like the right call, not least given Sam Gallagher’s impact against North End in the two most recent trips to Deepdale.

One arguably more pertinent point is the prospect of seeing Bradley Dack and Elliott on the pitch for an extended period of time.

Dack has replaced Elliott on four occasions since his return from injury, while two of Dack’s starts so far have seen the teenager on the bench (Doncaster in the FA Cup and the Preston defeat).

That means the bigger question for Mowbray will be how does he get the best out of his two most creative players, rather than the decision to leave Elliott out against Preston.