Darragh Lenihan is expected to miss the next three months, as the Blackburn Rovers defender recovers from injury, reports the club’s official website.

Tony Mowbray has been unable to call on the defender since the opening day of the Sky Bet League One season, with Lenihan undergoing surgery on his injury.

Following the surgery on a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal, Lenihan is now beginning a long road to recovery, with Mowbray not expecting the 23-year-old to return until the Christmas period.

Mowbray’s squad have managed so far without Lenihan in League One, recording four victories from their opening six fixtures of the campaign.

Rovers have won their last three fixtures in the league, climbing to 10th in the table and on the verge of breaking into the play-off zone.

Back-to-back victories on the road in the last week have put Mowbray’s side in a strong position heading into the coming weekend’s fixtures.

Blackburn breezed past Rochdale last Saturday, before narrowly beating Scunthorpe during the week, with on-loan striker Marcus Antonsson impressing, scoring twice in two games.

The Swedish striker will be looking to help Rovers break into the top-six this weekend, when they welcome AFC Wimbledon to Ewood Park.

The Verdict

Lenihan’s lengthy lay-off is a huge blow for Mowbray, who would have been looking to the 23-year-old to play a key part in helping Blackburn back up to the Championship.

However, Rovers have coped well without the defender, particularly in recent weeks, with Mowbray’s side showing signs that they are on the right track.

The two victories way from home in the last week will lift the mood at Ewood Park, and undoubtedly help to cushion the blow of losing Lenihan for such a long period.

Blackburn fans… Let us know your thoughts!