BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer has confirmed that he is looking for defensive cover in the loan market following Shane Duffy’s knee injury.

Duffy was ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining an injury in training on Thursday, undergoing surgery a day later.

Rovers then lost fellow centre back Grant Hanley to another training ground injury on Friday, forcing them into a reshuffle with Alex Baptiste partnering Matt Kilgallon in the heart of defence for Saturday’s game at Bournemouth.

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But the duo impressed as Rovers recorded a clean sheet and they are expected to play together again at Sheffield Wednesday tonight.

Bowyer hopes Hanley will be ready to return against Liverpool in the FA Cup on Sunday, but he is otherwise short of cover – particularly as Baptiste will be ineligible to face parent club Bolton next Wednesday.

Asked about a possible loan addition, the Rovers boss said: “We are stretched in the defensive area so it is something that ever since Shane got injured we already started looking.”

Bowyer, though, was full of praise for the way his side defended at Bournemouth.

“The back four were thrown together mid-session on Friday because of Grant limping out, but the response was terrific from them,” he said.

Hanley will miss tonight’s trip to Hillsborough, while Josh King has been ruled out of Sunday’s cup quarter final at Anfield.

“Kingy is going to be longer than we had hoped,” Bowyer said.

“Grant is progressing well and there’s a chance of making the weekend, so we just continue to monitor that.

“With Kingy you’re talking a couple of weeks at this moment in time, on top of the week, so another three weeks maybe.

“With the nature of the injury you have to be careful.”

Rovers are under a transfer embargo but would be allowed to make two loan signings following Bradley Orr’s release.

Ipswich Town forward Paul Taylor is training with the club, but a decision is yet to be made about whether Rovers complete a loan move for the 27-year-old.

“He’s training with us, it’s an opportunity for us just to have a quick look for him and we’ll take it from there,” Bowyer said.

“The lad has got some ability, there’s no doubt about that.

“You only need to look at his CV to see that he has had a decent career, people have seen the talent he has, but we’re just monitoring the situation.

“We’re able to loan, that’s the situation we have at this moment in time, we need to just make sure that whoever we bring in is the right person to enhance the squad.”