Rosler's praise for Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray

Uwe Rosler and his assistant, former Blackburn Rovers first team coach Rob Kelly

Rovers are one of the favourites to clinch an automatic return to the Championship this season.

After a slow start Mowbray has now steered Blackburn up to third and they head to Highbury just two points behind second-placed Shrewsbury Town.

Rosler's men are 11th in the League One table and he says he is looking forward to the game and pitting his wits against the former West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough and Celtic boss.

He said: "I really look forward to the game because those are the sort of games you like to measure yourself against.

"Tony Mowbray is a very good and experienced manager.

"You could see they had a slow start but with his experience and his knowledge the ship is now sailing nicely in a direction that they want to be.

"To measure us against his team is a great challenge and I really look forward to it."

Town drew 2-2 at Ewood Park in the reverse fixture back in October.

And Rosler is expecting a slightly different challenge to be posed by Rovers this time around with Mowbray possibly set to hand new Huddersfield loan star, midfielder Jack Payne, a debut.

Rosler said: "Both clubs are where, before the season started, they were more or less expected to be.

"One is in mid-table fighting for each point and to come through different challenges.

"The other club are at the top of the league fighting for direct promotion, with the biggest budget.

"It is exactly where everyone predicted the two clubs to be.

"Obviously over Christmas Blackburn have been in good form, they have changed their style a little bit.

"They are signing Jack Payne and others and you know where they will go.

"I think Wigan and Blackburn are the strongest candidates for direct promotion."

Mowbray said in his pre-match press conference that Rovers would need to acclimatise to the conditions for the short trip to Highbury.

Rosler said: "I think if he means the wind he has a valid point because at our place it is very windy!

"That is not always in our favour, especially when you be a home team and you have more of a duty to have the initiative.

"I think it is a valid point if he speaks about the wind - if he speaks about the temperatures then I don't think there is a massive difference!"