Blackburn Rovers will be without top-scorer Sam Szmodics against Watford but Dom Hyam will start at Ewood Park.

Jon Dahl Tomasson has confirmed that Szmodics will not play due to fatigue against the Hornets but could be back to play Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day or Hull City on the 29th.

Rovers also have a major question mark around an unnamed player who could be involved but that decision will be made later in the day. 

Hyam will be in the starting XI though after coming through training unscathed this week. He was on the bench at Southampton as an unused substitute but will be in the starting team at Ewood Park.

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"I have some good news and bad news as well," Tomasson said. "Sam Szmodics won't be able to play, he's out.

"That is very disappointing because he's been great for Rovers, not just his goals but his work ethic too. He will not be on it for a long time.

"We will see him through the Christmas period but not tomorrow. He's fatigued, the risk of playing him, we could lose him for weeks.

"Sometimes it's too dangerous. I think we'll see him back soon, maybe the 26th, maybe the 29th if everything goes to plan.

"We have one player who probably...is he ready, is he not? We will see and those are players who've played a lot. The ones we haven't seen for a while are still not ready.

"I would expect them back in January, maybe the middle of January.

"We have Dom Hyam, he didn't play against Southampton on the bench, but he's important, it shows why I took him. He will be able to get some minutes, he will be starting.

"Let's see how long he can play. We'll be building him as quick as possible.

"We have missed him, he's a leader. He's done so well for Rovers, he's a great professional and that's why I brought him to Southampton. We have to get him up to speed and that starts tomorrow."