BLACKBURN Rovers will go into the Boxing Day derby with Bolton Wanderers on the back of their best performance of the season.

That is the verdict of on-loan Bolton Wanderers defender Alex Baptiste who will be ineligible to face his parent club at the Macron Stadium.

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Rovers returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday that Baptiste put down to the new 4-3-1-2 system devised by boss Gary Bowyer.

“I think that was the best we’ve played this year,” said Baptiste, who is on season-long loan at Ewood Park from Bolton. “The gaffer wasn’t happy with the last two results (defeats to Brentford and Sheffield Wednesday) and we changed the formation a little bit.

“The way we kept the ball and the way we ratted when we didn’t have the ball was different class.

“And it was all down to the tactics – the coaching staff really got us the win.

“We’d been working on the formation since Wednesday and the way the lads worked off the ball was fantastic.

“It was all about getting after them and getting the ball back as quickly as we could. Maybe we’ve been lacking that intensity.

“Brentford certainly showed it against us and we saw that in the video of the game the gaffer put on. We took a leaf out of their book.”

Although Baptiste will not be able to play on Boxing Day, he will be cheering Rovers on from the stands.

He said: “It’s going to be hard but I’ll be there supporting the lads.

“We’ve got to fly out of the blocks again as they’re on a good run.

“But the way we can play, we don’t fear anyone.”