Rovers are set to be boosted by the return of four senior defenders for this weekend’s trip to Aston Villa.

Darragh Lenihan, Charlie Mulgrew, Jack Rodwell and Amari’i Bell will all travel to the Midlands this week after their respective absences.

Lenihan (knee) has been missing since the 5-2 defeat at Brentford, while Mulgrew has been absent since limping off against Preston on March 9 with a hamstring problem.

Rodwell (hamstring) has missed the last three matches, while Bell didn’t travel to Sheffield Wednesday last time out after suffering a knock.

Corry Evans, like Mulgrew, wasn’t involved for his national team during the international break having come off at Sheffield Wednesday with a hamstring strain.

But reporting good news on the injury front, boss Tony Mowbray said: “The intentional break has allowed a few to get their boots back on and train.

“The likes of Mulgrew and Evans didn’t play their international games having carried knocks in to the break.

“Lenihan has had his boots back on training with the team. Mulgrew has been training with the team, Jack Rodwell and Amari’i Bell are back.

“It looks a bit brighter on the training ground.

“There is more life about training, more voices, more shouting, organisation, cajoling each other on with the senior lads about.

“It doesn’t look like a team of youth team players anymore, we have got some men back on the pitch so fingers crossed it reflects in a better outcome.”

Evans met up with the Northern Ireland squad but wasn’t involved in their Euro 2020 qualifying wins over Estonia and Belarus last week.

That was done with the blessing of his manager, despite the 28-year-old being a doubt for this weekend.

“He stayed with the squad and I was happy for him to do that,” Mowbray added.

“He was getting his treatment there, our medical department and theirs had a lot of dialogue over the last few weeks.

“Corry has been back in all week, trained today, looked fine, again that’s a decision whether we risk him in a game like with Mulgrew (at Sheffield Wednesday). It’s okay getting back on the grass but with a hamstring injury, in training you don’t reactively sprint 100 per cent to get a ball.

“In a match you have to. You have to become careful that a strain doesn’t become a tear and then it’s six or eight weeks out.”

Rovers return to action after the two week international break which Mowbray says has been a mixture of rest and relaxation.

He added: “When you get to this stage of the season, when you’ve had foot on the gas, it’s been difficult for them, as the injuries suggest with their bodies breaking down.

“Every club carries injuries at this time of the year. You have to rest the bodies up, but you also have to train and make sure they are ready for the next game.

“We have blocked it off, days in training and blocks of days off and rest, and making sure they get some energy back for the final push.”