Blackburn Rovers will be without Dom Hyam for another five weeks whilst Harry Pickering is expected to return after the international break.

Hyam has been missing for the last four matches after limping off against Millwall. Jon Dahl Tomasson had been coy on when the defender might return with the club assessing their options on the best course of treatment.

The Blackburn Rovers head coach was hopeful of providing an update this week and is expecting Hyam to be out until mid-December. That will see him miss another five Championship games, assuming he'd be targeting a return away at Southampton on December 16. The following match is a home match against Watford on December 23rd which will take Hyam to two and a half months on the sidelines.

By contrast, Pickering should be back for the trip to Stoke City after the international break. The left-back missed the match against Preston with a quadricep injury but should return to training next week.

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"Harry got injured at Norwich," Tomasson said. "He had problems after the first half but he was able to finish the game.

"After that in the upcoming days, it was too much. I don't think it will be too long for him. Hopefully after the international break.

"With Dom, it'll be four or five weeks more. Hopefully, we get him back soon."

Lewis Travis filled in at right-back for Rovers in the absence of Pickering, with Callum Brittain switching to left-back. It meant teenage defenders Tom Atcheson, Pat Gamble and Jake Batty made up the defence, none of whom have made a Championship appearance for Blackburn Rovers.

Rovers are also hopeful of having Hayden Carter back from a hamstring problem for the trip to the Potteries. Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges, Aynsley Pears, Joe Rankin-Costello and Sam Barnes remain long-term absentees.