Tyrhys Dolan wants to use his energy levels, and versatility, to his advantage to sustain an extended run in the side.

Dolan is targeting a fourth successive league start for only the second time this season tonight.

While the 21-year-old has featured in 32 of Rovers’ 39 games this season, adding to his 11 Championship starts is a target for Dolan who has four goals and five assists in all competitions.

He has completed each of the last three games, the only attacker to do so, and maintained his energy throughout.

The England youth international credits a greater focus on his recovery as key to that, and believes it will help him enjoy a run in the side, despite Jon Dahl Tomasson’s commitment to rotation during the busy period.

He said: “Definitely, it’s worked in my favour.

“I’ve been doing a lot more off the pitch with my recovery, something I hadn’t done as much and take it as serious as I do now

“It’s about being fresh and not fatigued.

“You can see the manager has rotated but for me it’s about staying in the team and doing that stuff off the pitch is key to keep my sharpness and not fatigued for when the games come.”

The failure to add a striker in January, and having impressed in that role in a goalscoring performance at Norwich City on December 17, gave Dolan a route back into the team.

However, he’s equally adept at playing off either wing, and as a No.10. And with injuries elsewhere in the squad, he hopes that versatility will boost his chances of more regular game-time.

“I think that’s what’s good, I’m available for anywhere, as a striker, behind the striker, or either side on the wing,” he said.

“It’s good to have that versatility.

“It can be good to nail down that spot, and it’s been in that central role, but if players rotate I can be the player who moves which keeps me on the pitch which is what I want.

“I need to keep doing the business on the pitch to keep on it.”

Rovers go into tonight’s game knowing that they can go back into the top six with a win.

It was around this stage last year where their dip in form saw them slide down the table, and Dolan says the players who were here last season are keen to use the disappointment of last season as motivation.

“I believe in the team and everyone believes in themselves, we know how devastating it was and that feeling of just missing out, we don’t want to do that this year,” he explained.

“We’re doing everything we can and definitely believe we can be in there this season.

“I think that feeling makes you learn so much that you don’t want to be feeling like that come the end of the season.

“We work so hard and everything you put in on the training ground it would be nice to get those rewards for it and the play-offs are the reward you get for working hard in the season.”

Dolan is now closing in on 100 league appearances for Rovers since joining the club in 2020.

This is his third full season in the first-team and he says he’s feeling ever more an established player.

"I'm not a young player, I need to step up," Dolan said.

“I have wanted to do that all season.
“It feels like I have said for a few seasons I want a run of consistent start, I want to do this, I want to do this.
“I need to get that done and be one of the main players in the team. I need to be a regular source of goals and assists and I want to carry this on.
“I've played a few games and I want to build on that. I've had conversations with the manager about staying in the team, I've got that place now and I need to hold onto it.”