Having looked like a case of Jack Rodwell or Charlie Mulgrew last month, the pair are expected to line up alongside each other in central defence against Bristol City tomorrow.

Rodwell took advantage of Mulgrew’s hamstring injury, picked up in the FA Cup tie at Newcastle United, to start four consecutive league matches. Rovers kept clean sheets in his first three, leaving some to consider whether 33-year-old Mulgrew would come straight back in to the team.

But his return is now particularly timely given the knee injury to Darragh Lenihan at Brentford which could sideline him for up to eight weeks.

The central defensive options to Tony Mowbray look stretched, with Paul Downing, as well as youngsters Scott Wharton and Joe Grayson, loaned out last month, and unable to recalled outside of a transfer window.

On moving from a situation of Rodwell or Mulgrew, to Rodwell and Mulgrew, boss Tony Mowbray said: “That’s football. That’s why you’re constantly talking to your team and although they may seem to be on the outside, in any Saturday or Tuesday night, or a training day, that can change instantly.

“You have to train and be ready, prepare, do the extra stuff.

“Harry Chapman working his socks off in the gym because at some stage you have to be ready and he may be called on.

“Who’s to say that Armstrong doesn’t pick up an injury along the way and someone of a similar ilk of speed and creativity isn’t thrust in, whether we feel he’s ready or not. We ask everyone to work hard and conscientiously. You can’t foresee injuries.

“If it is Mulgrew and Rodwell then there’s enough quality and experience in there that can hopefully get the job done.”

Derrick Williams is another central defensive option to Rovers, while Under-23s captain Tyler Magloire has trained with the first team of late. Mulgrew resumed full training last week, but didn’t travel to Griffin Park, to give him the best possible of chance of featuring tomorrow.

“He needed to train. He probably could have travelled to Brentford with us and sat on the bench, but we felt that training over the weekend, and this week, he would have the inner confidence to know that he’s not going to be blowing heavy after half an hour,” Mowbray added.

“He’s had a full week of training and he should be ready to go.”