FIRST CHOICE BACK FOUR

A BACK four of Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Charlie Mulgrew and Derrick Williams may be considered to be Rovers’ first choice.

But, given the injuries experienced by each of the quartet this season, it has been the combination chosen by Tony Mowbray on just one occasion - the opening day at Ipswich Town.

That means so far this term Rovers have fielded nine different back four combinations, using seven different players.

Nyambe, back after a hamstring injury, impressed in the second half of the draw with Rotherham and could return to the starting line-up, while Mowbray will hope both Mulgrew and Williams can overcome their respective injuries to feature.

Elliott Bennett’s energy could then be a useful tool in midfield, whether out wide or from a central position.

SWITCHING THINGS UP

TONY Mowbray has previously admitted he feels Rovers are a striker short.

In the draw at West Brom, Rovers went without a recognised frontman as Bradley Dack played up top,

In the other three matches that Danny Graham hasn’t started this season, Adam Armstrong has twice led the line, with Joe Nuttall given the role against Brentford in August.

Graham has struggled in the last two matches, touching the ball a combined 46 times against QPR and Rotherham.

However, the 33-year-old has proven his importance to this side and can they afford to go without him?

Mowbray believes that Ben Brereton, who has made an impact off the bench in the last two matches, is better suited to playing out wide for now but must be edging closer to a first league start.

The make-up of the attack could be as interesting as the back four.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

ROVERS have been no stranger to a sell-out away allocation during Mowbray’s time in charge.

And they look set for another this weekend at Preston, with all of the 5,533 seats taken up.

There wasn’t quite such a clamour for tickets from Rovers fans for this fixture in December 2016.

They were languishing at the wrong end of the Championship table under Owen Coyle and around 2,200 fans made the trip to Deepdale.

Thirteen months before that, in Paul Lambert’s first game in charge, 5,486 fans were in the away end to watch Rovers record a 2-1 victory.

Despite two defeats already on the road this season, Rovers actually have the sixth best away record in the Championship so far.

And what two better games to return to action with than trips to Preston and then Wigan on Wednesday.