Derrick Williams says Rovers can take confidence from their results against teams above them in the Championship table ahead of a testing period.

Rovers, who are close to a new deal for midfielder Corry Evans, face four of the top five following on from Saturday’s home game with Birmingham.

Tony Mowbray’s side host leaders Norwich City next weekend, and fifth-placed West Brom on New Year’s Day, with trips to promotion-chasing Leeds United and Sheffield United in between.

But having already beaten Leeds and Stoke, as well as taken points off Derby, West Brom, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, confidence is high ahead of the visit of ninth-placed Birmingham.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Williams said of the busiest period of the season.

“We always seem to do well against the big teams.

“It will be tough but we have to stick together and try and grind some results out.

“We’ve played a few of those teams already and know we can get results.

“We seem to play our best football against the better teams and hopefully we can do that again in this run in a busy period.

“We have a good home record and we love playing here so we want to take advantage of that and pick up as many points as we can.”

Williams has been back in the side for Rovers’ last two matches in which they have picked up four points following on from defeats at Preston and Wigan.

They have taken 10 points from a possible 12 at Ewood since their only home defeat of the season to Sheffield United, and beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 last time out.

And the Republic of Ireland international is eyeing another front foot performance when Garry Monk brings his Blues side to East Lancashire.

“We did the same against Middlesbrough and could have scored two or three goals, Dacky hit the post, Corry had a good chance, and that’s how we want to play,” the 25-year-old said.

“But we want to build it from a solid foundation and let our forward players do their thing at the top end of the pitch.”

Rovers drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough last weekend, despite taking the lead through a Charlie Mulgrew free kick and playing against 10 men for 70 minutes.

A Britt Assombalonga thunderbolt drew the hosts level, and Williams admits there was little that could have been done to prevent Boro’s equaliser.

He added: “We defended well and it was a real killer, an unreal goal, and sometimes you have to hold your hands up and ‘fair play’.

“It was a weird one because we should have won the game with the chances we had but a point away from home is always a good one, especially at Middlesbrough.

“That was a positive and we have to bring that in to Saturday.”

Amari’i Bell is back fit after a hamstring problem and could challenge Williams for his left back spot on Saturday.

Should he get the nod over Bell, then Williams is likely to come up against one of his former team-mates in Connor Mahoney.

The 21-year-old is on loan at Birmingham from Bournemouth who he joined last summer after choosing not to extend his contract at Rovers.

Mahoney became a key player for Rovers in the second half of their 2016/17 relegation season, and ahead of a possible battle with him, Williams said: “He’s a good lad, a good player.

“The gaffer hasn’t picked the team yet so we don’t know who’s playing, but if I am to come up against him then I would enjoy that challenge and look to let him know I’m there.

“He did well, he’s a good player so you have to respect that but I will try and make it as tough as I can.”