Focus on the league can be a cliché after a team exits a cup competition but Tony Mowbray says he has seen it first-hand within his squad.

Rovers were beaten in the FA Cup third round for a fifth successive year at Wigan Athletic last time out, though thoughts turned immediately to the Championship campaign where Rovers have 21 games to maintain their push for promotion.

Mowbray’s men head to Cardiff City tomorrow afternoon (12.30pm) with 10 points from their last four away matches and chasing a third successive victory.

They do so with a near fully-fit squad, with Ryan Nyambe and Scott Wharton available again after missing the Wigan cup defeat with a hamstring injury and illness respectively.

There was better news too in that Darragh Lenihan, forced off at half time, and Sam Gallagher, replaced after an half an hour, have both trained in the lead-up to the game.

Joe Rankin-Costello has also travelled with the squad to south Wales after playing 75 minutes for the Under-23s last weekend.

That leaves only Pickering, out for at least another month with a hamstring problem, as the only senior absentee.

“I think undoubtedly. I can feel it in the team,” Mowbray said of focus quickly turning to league matters.

“There were five changes and bar Harry Pickering we should be near to the team that’s been functioning so well.

“We’re looking forward to getting back on the grass and do what we do well and look to get back to a positive result.”

Tomorrow’s game will be played behind closed doors, the third successive time this fixture has been played without fans.

That comes after the Welsh Government extended its Covid restrictions that have seen fans unable to attend sporting events.

All but one of Rovers’ matches in 2020/21 were played without a crowd, while their two previous behind closed doors matches at Cardiff have brought four points.

Mowbray has praised the impact of the away support in wins at Stoke City and Bournemouth, but says it won’t be a strange feeling to play behind closed doors again given the experiences last season.

He added: “We did it for a season and got used to it and will go to Cardiff and do it again.

“It’s not ideal, football is for the people, the fans, the excitement, the energy and let’s hope we have the talent on the grass to come out on top.

“Whenever you play Cardiff you know it’s a physically demanding game for you and we’ll go there and try and bring our A game and see if we can get the points.”

  • Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has seen differences in Cardiff City under Steve Morison but knows they still possess a strong aerial threat his side must guard against.

Morison was placed in permanent charge after a caretaker spell following the departure of Mick McCarthy who was in charge for the 5-1 defeat at Ewood Park in September.

They go into today’s game in 20th place, but Morison has switched things up, bringing Mark Harris and Izaak Davies into the fold, while Ryan Wintle has been recalled from his loan spell at Blackpool.

Cody Drameh has been signed from Leeds United on loan, and while they will be without Kieffer Moore for tomorrow’s game, Mowbray knows they possess a threat from set plays.

Asked if he’d seen a change in the Bluebirds under Morison, he said: “A little bit, he’s brought some young players in, some young attacking strikers in.

“I think he’s still got a formidable backline in the opposition box, Morrison and Flint can be a huge threat to any team.

“They try and play out from the back a bit more, they play through midfield.

“I look at their players and their mentality, there’s some big, strong men in their team and we have to stand up to them and try and get our game going.”