Defenders Charlie Mulgrew; Darragh Lenihan; Jack Rodwell and Amari'i Bell will all be available for Blackburn when they travel to face Aston Villa in the first game back after the international break on Saturday.

Rodwell missed Rovers' last three games before the international break with a hamstring injury, with Mulgrew limping out of the first of those three matches and Bell picking up a knock one game later. Lenihan meanwhile hasn't featured since the 5-2 defeat at Brentford, with Rovers winning just one and losing six of the eight games missed by the Irishman.

Speaking to The Lancashire Telegraph about those returning from injuries, Rovers manager Tony Mowbray revealed: “The intentional break has allowed a few to get their boots back on and train. “The likes of Mulgrew and Evans (midfielder Corry) didn’t play their international games having carried knocks in to the break.

“Lenihan has had his boots back on training with the team. Mulgrew has been training with the team, Jack Rodwell and Amari’i Bell are back.

“It looks a bit brighter on the training ground."

While all four defenders are apparently ready for selection, it appears there is still a decision to be made over the availability of Evans in midfield, with Mowbray revealing: “Corry has been back in all week, trained today, looked fine, again that’s a decision whether we risk him in a game like with Mulgrew (at Sheffield Wednesday). It’s okay getting back on the grass but with a hamstring injury, in training you don’t reactively sprint 100 per cent to get a ball.

The verdict

This is a huge boost for Rovers, whose defence has been looking increasingly makeshift as recent weeks have gone by. The aerial presence of Lenihan has been particularly missed, so his return in particular will be a welcome sight to Rovers fans.

By contrast, the large number of options Rovers have in midfield mean that the blow created by the absence of Corry Evans has been significantly less than it could have been, and that should continue to be the same case at Villa Park on Saturday.