Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray said Mathias Jorgensen will miss the Carabao Cup tie against Sheffield United on Tuesday, and he plans to make one or two changes to the squad.
The Danish midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday’s surprise 2-1 win over Middlesbrough and is definitely out for the visit of the Blades. Mowbray confirmed that Jorgensen’s absence will force a reshuffle of the starting XI, and he added that a handful of other players are dealing with minor knocks and niggles.
“We’ve got a few knocks and a few niggles, which is a bit frustrating early on,” Mowbray told the club website. “I suppose that players pick up muscle injuries because modern-day football is played at such speed. There are still a few who we’ll aim to look after because they have put a huge effort in over the last week.”
The manager stressed that none of the injured players are expected to return imminently, so the squad will have to wait a couple of weeks before more options become available. He said he would make “one or two changes for the game, one or two who’ll need looking after through their history of picking up knocks.”
Mowbray also hinted that the Carabao Cup match will give younger players a chance to prove themselves. “If I thought we were really weakening our team, I don’t think I’d do that, but we have players at a good level; pre-season showed that, so this is their opportunity to play in the first-team in the Carabao Cup and do well enough to make me start them in the next league game or to bring them off the bench to impact the game.”
Blackburn’s recent form has drawn attention. After a 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough, the club had earned four points from a tough first-round Carabao Cup win over Burton and a strong performance against Wolves and Middlesbrough in the league. The side’s only win last season came in the penultimate match against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The upcoming fixture at Ewood Park will test the depth of the squad as the Blades are expected to field a strong side. Mowbray remains confident that the team can secure a good result despite the injuries and rotation.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday night, and the Rovers will be looking to protect their fit players over the weekend while aiming for a positive outcome against a formidable Sheffield United side.
