Rovers boss Tony Mowbray revealed he has spoken with Bradley Dack about off-field matters and believes Rovers’ top scorer needs to ‘throw himself in to football’.

Dack wasn’t involved in Saturday’s defeat to Stoke City because of a hamstring injury, despite being one of 22 players to report to Ewood Park before the game.

The 25-year-old then left the ground at around 2pm when not included in the matchday squad of 18, with Mowbray’s blessing.

His exclusion from the squad came as his reality TV star girlfriend, Olivia Attwood, revealed the pair had separated, but has since said the pair are ‘working things out’.

Dack had been keen to play against Stoke, despite not training ahead of the game, with Mowbray taking the decision to leave him out.

He trained yesterday however, and could make his return for tonight’s visit of Derby County.

“I’ve had one or two chats with Bradley over the course of the last week or so,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I don’t know whether it’s a positive or negative for him that he has got a twinge in his hamstring.

“Football is probably something he needs to be doing at the moment, getting out on the grass and showing everyone what a talented boy he is.

“Hopefully he’ll be ready for tonight and hopefully he can throw himself in to football and express his talent to everybody.”

Dack’s relationship with the former Love Island star has received plenty of media, and social media attention.

Asked about his interest, or awareness, in his players’ social media activity, the boss added: “I don’t follow the players’ social media, that’s the job of my head of media who will keep me informed of anything that’s pertinent to the football club.

“I do have really good relationships with all of my players I would like to think, and they know where my office is if they think I can help with anything in their social lives.

“That’s my job as well. I’m here to try and make them better footballers and be successful if we can, but if I can help them in their private lives then I can offer advice."

Rovers need Dack to get back to his best form, having scored just twice during a run of one win in 11 matches.

A 1-0 defeat to Stoke on Saturday was Rovers’ ninth in their previous 11 matches, as well as a fourth defeat by that scoreline in their previous five home games.

Dack trained with his team-mates yesterday, but Mowbray said of his possible involvement: “I’m not sure to be honest.

“He walked off training after 20 minutes on Thursday. He wanted to play on Saturday but yet you don’t walk off training on a Thursday and then are ready to go on Saturday.

“We’ll have to assess whether he can go again on Tuesday.

“Bradley will want to play, as he always wants to play. We need to make sure that if he’s going to be 100 per cent and give everything he’s got.”