Rovers captain Charlie Mulgrew has sustained a grade one hamstring injury which will see him miss the next two matches, and Scotland’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Mulgrew limped out of the weekend defeat to Preston and underwent a scan on Sunday.

The 33-year-old has joined Darragh Lenihan and Jack Rodwell on the sidelines, leaving Rovers without any senior central defenders ahead of games with Wigan tomorrow and Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

“Mulgrew has had a scan and has a grade one hamstring injury. He’s not making Tuesday and there is a fair chance he won’t make Saturday,” the Rovers boss said of the skipper, who will miss Scotland’s games in Kazakhstan and San Marino.

“It’s part and parcel of the game, we have to take it on the chin. It’s a disappointment for us.

“At this moment we’re without Mulgrew, Lenihan and Rodwell, but that’s football. We’ve been there before and you have to find a way and we will go in to the next game giving it our best shot.”

Rodwell had made 10 consecutive league matches for Rovers before missing the defeat to Preston, and is unlikely to feature before the international break.

The 27-year-old, who had filled in first for Mulgrew and then Lenihan, has now sustained a hamstring injury of his own.

Mowbray added: “I’m not sure whether he’s got half a chance. The temptation would be to play them, but particularly with hamstrings, you are risking one game and if it’s damaging he will miss the rest of the season on the back of that.

“That’s the risk. You give them the international break to recover, and strengthen, or you give them one game with the potential of losing them for the season.”

Derrick Williams returned from suspension to take his place in a back three against Preston, and is set to continue in central defence for the foreseeable future.

“Derrick has to be seen as a centre half in this situation. The flexibility he has enables him to play left back, as he did for all of last season,” Mowbray said.

“At this moment he’s very much a centre half in my mind.

“We will put together a team that I believe will be really competitive and we’ll look to be on the front foot, and let’s hope the defenders don’t have much work to do.”

Rovers restricted Preston to just two shots on target, but one of them, an eighth minute strike from Daniel Johnson, proved to be the winner.

It was a third successive 1-0 home reverse for Rovers following defeats against Bristol City and Middlesbrough last month.

They will look to end what has been a miserable run when they face Wigan, with Mowbray hoping for more quality from his men in the final third.

“Like we did against Preston at the weekend, we will try and play the majority of the game in their half,” the boss said.

“We can push teams back, but have to find a way of producing in the final third, with a bit more creativity, and look to put the ball in the opposition’s net.

“It’s been a frustrating period at home with three 1-0 defeats and tight games.

“We’re looking to start scoring goals against without worrying about the other end.”