Jon Dahl Tomasson has revealed Harry Pickering's substitution against Cardiff City was planned and is hopeful Dilan Markanday is not injured.

Pickering was a surprise selection for Blackburn Rovers as they beat Cardiff City 5-2 in the Carabao Cup, setting up a fourth-round tie with Chelsea. The left-back started the game but came off at half-time for Callum Brittain.

Markanday came off in the 79th minute but Tomasson is hopeful that is just cramp and he will be available for Sunday's match against Leicester City. With Ryan Hedges out, Rovers are short of options in attacking areas.

"Yes that was planned," Tomasson said. "He is not injured.

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"I think he has cramp so I am hopeful he'll be fine. I can't imagine that will be anything but I haven't got the medical report yet.

"Tomorrow will be a recovery day for those boys and we'll have a better idea regarding the minutes of those boys."

Semir Telalovic got his first start in a Rovers shirt against Cardiff. It was a good test for the striker against Championship opposition and Tomasson believes it will help him get closer to full match sharpness.

"We know that he is a new boy, an unproven player at this level," Tomasson said. "He's a great lad, he wants to do all the right things.

"He needs minutes to get up to speed, he hasn't had a lot of games. He has a decent pre-season with his German side but we can't put too much pressure on the boy who has come from a lower level.

"He wants to help, he wants to do his best. He's a good lad, in that way."

Rovers face Leicester City on Sunday at Ewood Park hoping to avoid a third-successive Championship loss. They then travel to Coventry City and Queens Park Rangers before the international break.