Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray says he expects defender Derrick Williams to miss the next three games through injury.
Williams hasn't featured for Blackburn since suffering a calf strain while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland midway through November, the same injury which kept him out for the majority of the club's pre-season preparations.
Speaking about Williams' situation ahead of his side's match at home to Derby County on Saturday afternoon, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: “Derrick Williams is not available, he won’t be ready for a few weeks.
“I don’t think it’s a setback. He had his boots on last week and was jogging, but felt his calf so the medical department has decided to take a step back and not push on as much as they would have hoped.
“But it’s not a setback, just an awareness not to push on as quickly. I would suggest he’ll miss the next three games at least.”
That means that as well as the weekend's clash with the Rams at Ewood Park, Williams looks set to miss Rovers' away trips to face Swansea and Bristol City on Tuesday and Saturday week respectively.
Williams' absence means that the return from injury of another of Rovers' centre backs - Darragh Lenihan - has been particularly timely, and speaking about the impact the 25-year-old's return to the side has had, Mowbray continued: “Lenihan coming back fit, it’s not rocket science, the statistics are there that over a while that when Lenihan isn’t in the team it’s given us more of a problem.
“I think his character, his personality, he can bounce off other players and I think Tosin (Adarabioyo) will benefit from having Lenihan’s voice alongside him and his organisational skills, as Derrick would from Lenihan next to him.
“The key is to keep them fit and it will give us a better chance to win games. The sooner Derrick is fit to give us possible rotation as the games come thick and fast we’ll see, but at this moment he’ll be unavailable.”
Rovers go into the clash with Derby 11th in the Championship standings following three straight wins, with Lenihan having captained the side in those two most recent games.
The Verdict
The situation with Williams will surely be a frustrating one for Rovers.
The Irishman had impressed during the early part of the campaign, and he would have been a useful option to have available going into the busy Christmas period.
That being said, with the presence and ability that Lenihan brings to Rovers' defence, it doesn't feel like a huge surprise that his return to the squad has coincided with that run of three straight wins.
Indeed, there may well be some concern on Williams' part that the partnership being formed by Lenihan and Tosin Adarabioyo recently, will make it hard for him to force his way back into the side even when he does return to full fitness.