Performance in training ensures players pick themselves in the eyes of head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Sorba Thomas has started just once since the March international break but was substituted at half time against Preston North End.

That is despite starting nine successive games when signing on loan from Huddersfield Town, in which Rovers racked up a haul of 18 points.

Rovers have taken only five from the last eight games, of which Thomas has been used off the bench in seven of them, despite the lack of goals and forward options.

Tomasson said Thomas’ time away with Wales was behind him dropping to the bench for the first game after the international break at Birmingham City.

But asked about his absence since, Tomasson explained: “What you are showing in training first, and what you show in games.

“You pick yourself, the manager doesn’t pick you, you pick yourself.”

Tomasson stressed that Adam Wharton’s improvement in training was behind his return to the side, with the teenager having now started four of the last five matches.

Equally, the head coach said Tyler Morton’s performances and application during the week were key to him amassing 46 appearances before his season was cut short by injury.

Tomasson stuck with the same XI from the Burnley defeat against Luton Town, which included Tyrhys Dolan being used as a central striker and Ryan Hedges preferred to Thomas on the right flank.

The loanee was part of a double-switch, alongside Bradley Dack, just eight minutes into the second half as Rovers fell behind to Tom Lockyer’s header.

Goals have dried up for Rovers at just the wrong time, with just five in the last eight matches.

Asked if he feels there is something left to try, Tomasson said: “First of all we’re trying to squeeze everything out of this great team.

“If you look at what the players have done, performance wise, top class, result not what we wanted.

“You need to put the ball in the net and not having a senior number nine at this stage is of course not brilliant.”

Thomas came up with his second assist since signing when Hayden Carter headed in his right-wing corner to equalise late on against Luton Town.

He was Rovers’ sole January addition, joining on loan from the Terriers, whose revival under Neil Warnock means Thomas is expected to return to the John Smith’s Stadium at the end of his Rovers loan.

Any option of making the deal permanent was understand to be reliant on Huddersfield being relegated from the Championship, and they can secure safety with a positive result against Sheffield United tonight.

Having finished in the play-off spots with Huddersfield last season, the Wales international will be hoping to do likewise with Rovers as their fate goes down to the final day at Millwall on Monday.