Jon Dahl Tomasson has revealed Ben Chrisene didn't make his Blackburn Rovers debut due to fitness concerns despite Harry Pickering pulling out late due to illness.
Pickering was set to start at left-back against West Brom at the Hawthorns but was ill on Saturday morning as the team bus was set to depart. As a result, Rovers only named eight players on the bench.
Chrisene signed on loan from Aston Villa to provide competition in that position but was an unused substitute. Instead, Callum Brittain moved to left-back having previously been earmarked to play right-wing.
Tomasson held talks with Chrisene but as the left-back hadn't featured since November, the pair both agreed that it would be more sensible to come from the bench.
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"Normally, Ben would be playing immediately with Harry out but he isn't totally fit," Tomasson explained.
"The last 90 minutes he played was in November which is some time ago. We didn't know how long he could play and he didn't know it as well.
"We spoke about it, maybe 35/45 minutes but against this West Brom side on a very good level, it would've been a risk."
Chrisene then played 90 minutes for the Under-21s on Sunday in a 3-3 draw with Queens Park Rangers.
Sam Szmodics and Pickering should both return next weekend against Huddersfield Town whilst Niall Ennis was simply not selected.
"Losing the top-scorer of the Championship, Sam has been excellent for more than a year. He missed out because of illness," Tomasson said.
"This morning before we drove away, Harry Pickering was ill, he threw up and that was disappointing. It doesn't help, that's true.
"I brought Sam Gallagher with us even though he'd only trained a couple of times so Niall was my choice."
Ennis is attracting interest from League One clubs with Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool and Barnsley leading the race for his signature.
A loan exit is not imminent but with other clubs interested, a January move has not been ruled out.
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