Blackburn boss Paul Lambert admits that he will ring the changes for his side’s FA Cup third-round tie against Newport County on Saturday.

Rovers are currently 17th in the Championship standings after losing their last three league games without scoring a goal and Lambert, who succeeded Gary Bowyer as manager at Ewood Park in November, admits that the honeymoon period of his reign is now over.

He said: “It’s new manager syndrome where everybody thinks, ‘play-offs’ or ‘we’re going to get out of the league’. The expectancy level rises higher than what it has been but then all of a sudden the last three games happen. Then reality bites.”

The Scot believes that the club’s recent run of poor form will allow him to rotate his squad for the cup clash with John Sheridan’s League Two strugglers, as he bids to guide Rovers to their first victory in five matches in all competitions.

He added: “The cup may give you respite but we’ll go as strong as we can. Three defeats indicates I can change it. When you lose games that’s what it indicates.”

Saturday’s clash at Rodney Parade will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides, and Rovers will be hoping to do better than they did on their last trip to south Wales which was Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Cardiff.

Blackburn are the 1.75 favourites to win on Saturday, whilst County are available at 4.75 and the draw is on offer at 3.40.