John Eustace confirms big Blackburn Rovers blow | OneFootball

John Eustace has today confirmed some disappointing news regarding injuries.

John Eustace has revealed that Blackburn Rovers will be without Lewis Travis and Harry Pickering for a decent period of time.

In a post on Blackburn's X account, the head coach confirmed that his captain could be sidelined for up to six weeks, while a scan of Pickering's knee has shown he will be out for 8-12 weeks following his 76th-minute substitution on Saturday.

This will come as a real disappointment to Eustace, who prior to Saturday's defeat to Millwall had his side firing on all cylinders. Six successive wins had propelled the Lancashire side to fifth place, but with a tough run of upcoming fixtures, teams below them will be eager to close the gap and pick up valuable points.

Without two of their most consistent players, Blackburn will need to perform at their best during this challenging stretch, and come January, they may be able to bring in reinforcements to cover for the duo.

Eustace confirms Travis and Pickering injuries

Pickering and Travis have both been consistent starters for Blackburn in recent years, but as confirmed by Eustace they will be out for a sustained period.

Speaking to the press about their injuries, the boss said: "Unfortunately Trav has sustained a hamstring injury so he will be out for six weeks.

"It could have been a lot worse. Hopefully, it will only be six weeks. It is a big blow but it gives someone else the chance to step up and be the man.

"He is the captain and he has been outstanding since he came back. You can see how he drives the team.

"It gives someone else an opportunity to step in, they have never let anyone down. We are looking for someone to come in and stand up to step in and continue the good work by everyone else."

Adding onto the bad news, he said this about the Blackburn number three: "Harry has had a scan on his knee and he's out for longer, unfortunately. He will be between eight and 12 weeks which is a devastating blow.

"It's a massive loss, H has been a fantastic performer this season and he gives us flexibility in how we like to play."

Travis will be a massive loss

Approaching his 250th appearance for Rovers, Travis would have hoped that he could have brought the milestone up in an FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough.

This will now come at a later date and his six weeks out could see him miss up to 10 fixtures. This period has the potential to disrupt Blackburn's season and if the captain returns in February after a tough run of form, he may find it challenging to help turn things around and salvage their campaign.

While Pickering will be a miss, his natural replacement in Owen Beck shouldn't see much of a drop-off in terms of performance. However, Travis will be a significant absence, and although John Buckley or Lewis Baker can fill in, they are not on the same level as the 27-year-old.