Blackburn Rovers boss backs John Buckley in unfamiliar role

Buckley had a hand in both Rovers goals in the win at Derby County, a first on the road since August, as they made it back-to-back wins ahead of the visit of high-flying Fulham on Wednesday night.

Rovers were without three of their first choice back four in Ryan Nyambe, Daniel Ayala and Harry Pickering because of injury, with Buckley deputising at right back with Hayden Carter and Joe Rankin-Costello only fit enough to make the bench.

The 22-year-old has featured in all but one game in his favoured midfield role, but he looks set for a stint in the back four for at least another game.

Mowbray said: “The fact I think he can play right back is credit to him, because he’s not the fastest, the strongest, the biggest, but what a lovely footballer, what a brain that he’s got.

“We have to be careful with John Buckley in my mind, let him develop at the speed he is, he’s a regular footballer in our team now, he’s made that breakthrough from a young player coming through to a regular who plays just about every week.

“Because of his intelligence, that’s why I don’t worry about him.”

Nyambe was out with a hamstring injury, while calf problems kept out Ayala and Pickering, while a foot injury hampered Carter in the lead-up to the game, the defender previously having deputised for the Namibia international at right back.

“The three regular defenders who missed out, I’m not sure how close they are,” Mowbray said.

Mowbray felt Derby tried to target Buckley with aerial balls, but praised captain Darragh Lenihan for commanding those situations, while in attack, Rovers used their flying full backs to good effect with Tayo Edun an outlet throughout the first half.

However, with Fulham on the horizon, having scored seven goals unanswered in their last two games, Mowbray knows the challenge Marco Silva’s side will bring.

“Fulham, they’ll have a flying left winger looking at John Buckley thinking ‘get the ball out to him’ but John never seems to get exposed,” he said.

“The team sorted it out. Lenihan showed great leadership because they obviously targeted John with the diagonal balls, the left back pushing on and tried to use that as a starting point in the first half, but Lenihan took charge and dealing with the first ball. They did that exceptionally well.

“I thought Lenihan was a warrior, Jan Paul did fantastic in his fourth start and Edun is a young guy with athleticism, confidence and belief in himself that help gets him through.

“It bodes well that we can come here without three defenders and get a result as we did.”