Rovers as well as their opponents, will have something riding on their remaining games until they start to put points on the board, according to Tony Mowbray.

Mowbray’s side finish the season with five games against teams below them in the standings, all scrapping for survival, and while Rovers do have a cushion to the bottom three, it’s one that’s been cut in recent weeks after a desperate run of form.

They avoided a third loss on the spin when claiming a last-minute equaliser at Cardiff City last time out, aided by the return to form of top scorer Adam Armstrong who passed 20 goals for the season in the process.

“Both teams will have lots to play for in every game, I think as footballers you want to play in games with something on it,” Mowbray said.

“I’m pretty sure we won’t lack for intent in any game we play. In every game the team we play has a lot to play for, and depending on the results as we go along, we have got a lot to play for as well.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we can pick up some results.

“We have five games to go and we have to try and pick up three points in every one.”

Armstrong became the first Rovers striker since Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede in 2014/15 to reach 20 league goals in a season, and having drawn blanks against Bournemouth, where the striker saw a late penalty saved, and Wycombe, where he was unavailable, Mowbray welcomed the return of an attacking threat against the Bluebirds.

“We looked like we could score again and we have to take that into the next game,” he added.

“I feel that when Adam is available he gives us an extra threat in behind, extra tightness with the ball, and our expected goals goes up when he’s in the team.

“For most of the season when Adam has been in the team we’ve been a threat, not every game of course.

“We look to the next game against Derby, look to be really positive and try and win.”

Tonight’s visitors have struggled this season, and Wayne Rooney’s side remain in the relegation picture with five games to go, despite having pushed hard for promotion in previous seasons.

“Derby over the last few years have been in and around the play-off places with a big expectation and expenditure to their team,” Mowbray added.

“The Championship, it shows what can happen. There are teams with huge intention and budgets who are nowhere near the top six and that’s how tough this league is.”

Meanwhile, Mowbray feels 4-0 win at Pride Park in September will give Derby an added incentive.

Rovers blew the Rams away in one of their best displays of the season in the reverse fixture, but thing haven’t panned out as Rovers would have wanted since, and have to work to do to ensure their Championship status for a further season, as do the Rams who are three places below them in the standings.

Mowbray said: “On the back of the reverse fixture they’ll come with an added urgency to try and put that right.

“They have some good footballers, (Tom) Lawrence is an obvious threat, (Kamil) Jozwiak is a threat, their midfield players can score from range, they have some good players and we have to be mindful of that.

“We’ll go into the game aware of their strengths but trying to ask them some questions.”