Blackburn will face off against rivals Preston this week in the Championship and they've been handed a huge boost ahead of the tie, with the news that Joe Rothwell is likely to be available for that clash, as reported by Lancs Live.
The 26-year-old has become a pivotal player for the second tier side and has already featured in 20 games for the club so far this campaign.
His contributions in terms of dictating the play and setting up his teammates - six assists so far shows his ability to find that pinpoint killer pass in attack - have been so valuable and have helped Rovers to climb the league table.
They're currently right in the middle of a push for the play-offs and will want to keep it up as they head into the second half of the campaign.
However, there was a slight worry for Blackburn fans as the player was hauled off in the side's last game against Stoke. He started the fixture but ended up being subbed off towards the latter end of the game.
It no doubt had many Rovers fans panicking that he may have had a knock or an injury that would rule him out of not just the Preston North End game but the next few ties too.
However, speaking to Lancs Live today, Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray has revealed that he expects the player to be back for that crunch clash at the weekend - which will come as a huge boost to Rovers fans.
Speaking about Rothwell, he said: "I’m sure he’ll be ready for our home game against Preston."
It's good to hear from the manager, as it means that they will have one of their most valuable assets available to them going forward.
The Verdict
Joe Rothwell is not just one of the most exciting Blackburn players but is arguably one of the most exciting players in the league right now.
His presence in the team makes them a whole different kettle of fish to deal with and his loss would have been a blow.
Preston would no doubt have been hoping that one of Rovers' best players was out for their tie.
Instead, they will now face the proposition of having to deal with stopping the 26-year-old midfielder.