Tony Mowbray believes Joe Rankin-Costello can now push on and ensure his cameo off the bench in the Carabao Cup wasn’t just a one off.

The year-old impressed off the bench against Sheffield United in what was just his second senior appearance and first in almost two years.

Injuries haven’t helped his cause, with a knee problem ruling him out for 12 months, but an impressive 2019 with the Under-23s saw him heavily involved in Rovers’ pre-season programme.

He was used exclusively at right-back then but is a more natural attacking midfielder, though Mowbray admits the number of options he has in that area means Rankin-Costello faces a tough task to break through.

But he feels the Manchester United youngster has all the tools required to make an impact on the first-team scene having been on the bench in the last two Championship matches,

“Joe Rankin-Costello is a good player,” the boss said.

“He’s been unlucky not to be around the team and get in the team.

“We signed Stewy Downing, Joe Rothwell is chomping at the bit to play, Adam Armstrong can play out wide, so it’s hard for Joe to play out wide on the left which is his position I think.

“I have been playing him right back through pre-season just to get him in the team because he was injured a lot last year but he’s had a full pre-season and is ready to go, strong, technically good, aggressive, all the attributes you want in a footballer.

“He won’t be far away from pushing on.”