Rovers welcome Bradley Johnson back from suspension for the visit of Barnsley, and whether to hand him an immediate return to the side is one of many ‘big decisions’ facing manager Tony Mowbray.

Johnson has been an influential figure in the side so far this season, with Rovers have failed to win the previous three matches he missed prior to Tuesday’s victory at Preston North End.

Mowbray will also have to weigh up whether to hand a recall to Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott, with Sam Gallagher, who netted the equaliser at Luton, having been preferred on the right.

With games continuing to come every three or four days, Mowbray acknowledges the need to mix things up, not least because of the different types of opponents they face in their upcoming matches.

“We have some big decisions to make. Good decisions? Yeah.

“I think these two games are so different from the one we played on Tuesday night, different football matches.

“Barnsley are almost unique in this league in terms of how they play, it’s a different game, it’s one that we maybe can’t be as expansive, we have be conscious of counter-attacks and transition and them breaking through the middle very fast.

“They have got good technical, players, very fast.

“Then Millwall a few days after that are very robust, get the ball wide and into your box, not really bothered about possession but want to ask questions of you physically.

“They are different types of games, dangerous games, and one we have to prepare right for.

“Having different players for different matches is what will hopefully help us win games moving forward.”

Rovers still have several senior players out injured, with Mowbray hoping the unavailability list will continue to decrease as they move into the new year.

But he feels he has a squad capable of being flexible for whatever opposition they face.

He added: “We have technical players for the days we need them, physical players for the days we need them, there will be a consistently of some players but we can’t expect any player to start the next 10 games on the bounce because they come in such a short period of time.

“It’s good to have options and to add to that when Travis, Dack, Evans, Williams, Ayala, Bennett all get fit we’ll have even more difficult decisions but they’ll always be made for the right reason, to try and win the game in front of us.

“If you create the right culture and identity then players will accept when they sit on the bench because that’s the best for the team to win this particular game, but three days later they could be starting. That’s the culture we’re trying to create at this club and not to worry about how many good players we have, just winning games and trying to get back to the Premier League.”