Lewis Holtby could be set for a welcome return to action for Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night.

The midfielder was absent on Saturday as Rovers slipped to an unfortunate late defeat to Nottingham Forest at Ewood Park, having been granted leave by manager Tony Mowbray to return to Germany for the birth of his first child.

Now though, Holtby is back among the Blackburn squad, and could return to action when the club make the trip to Vicarage Road to face Watford in midweek.

With a heavy schedule to follow that, the return of Holtby to his side will be one that Mowbray will surely be delighted to see, as Rovers look to mount a push for promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Here, we take a look at Holtby's time at Ewood Park so far, and what might be to come for the midfielder in Lancashire, in our latest "hat-trick" feature...

How's it gone so far?

Having joined Rovers as a free-agent in September 2019 following his departure from Hamburg, it originally looked as though Hotby had been brought in with the intention of providing competition for Bradley Dack in the number ten role.

Holtby however, took some time to adjust to his new surroundings, and it was not until he netted a double in a 5-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday in January this year that it looked like the midfielder was ready to step into that position.

That progress was however, halted when he suffered a knee injury in a draw at Middlesbrough just a couple of weeks later, and he did not return until the season restarted in the summer, when a lacklustre end to the campaign saw Rovers' play-off push fall away.

The start to this season has been brighter for Holtby, who has looked more influential having been dropped into a deeper midfield role.

In that position, his range of passing an impressive work rate have seen him emerge as a key asset for Rovers, while the German also highlighted his ability from set-pieces with a stunning free-kick in the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster at the start of the season.

What issues does he face?

The obvious one revolves around his aforementioned family situation.

It cannot be easy for Holtby to leave his wife and young daughter in another country to come back here and play football, particularly given the current global situation.

On the pitch, Holtby's move into a deeper midfield role should also provide him with extra competition for his place.

Bradley Johnson has started the season in eye-catching style, winning the Championship's Player of the Month award for September, while Joe Rothwell has also impressed since taking a similar step down the pitch to Holtby.

Former Norwich promotion winner Tom Trybull also joined on deadline day to add an extra option in that position, while Corry Evans remains a reliable competitor in the centre of the park.

With enforcer Lewis Travis also undoubtedly set to challenge for a place in the side as soon as he returns to fitness, it seems despite his impressive performances so far this season, there is no guarantee Holtby will keep his place in the side for long.

What's Next?

It would be a surprise not to see Holtby starting at Watford on Wednesday night.

In the absence of the German, as well as Travis, Rothwell and Trybull on Saturday, Rovers midfield lacked the impact and threat against Forest that it has posed previously this season.

With Travis and Rothwell still out for various reasons and Trybull working to get up to full fitness after a lack of game time with Norwich this year, Holtby does appear to be the most likely man to come back into the side.

Beyond that, with such a heavy schedule coming up this season, and several options available to Rovers in midfield, Holtby could find himself in the midst of a policy of rotation over the coming months.

Should that happen, the 30-year-old will no doubt be hoping to make the most of any opportunities he is given, with his contract at Ewood Park set to expire at the end of this season.