Blackburn Rovers defender Hayden Carter is hoping he has turned a corner with his fitness after being plagued by injury in recent years.

The 26-year-old has played just 26 Championship games across the past two seasons due to injury struggles but has already featured in eight this campaign.

"I missed a week with a little niggle but I think I've been fit from the first day of pre-season," Carter told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It was similar last year. I came back and won the fitness test but luck wasn't on my side. Hopefully that has fully changed now and I can stay fit."

Carter was eased back into the side across the opening four matches for Rovers, coming off the bench in two, before making his first start in their fifth game against Millwall.

The defender was in the XI for the following three games until being used as a substitute in their game against West Bromwich Albion.

"The Bristol City game was the first Saturday-Tuesday I've done since March so I wasn't expecting to play West Brom," Carter added.

"That's something I've learned about myself to benefit my team. If I miss one game to save myself from getting injured and missing the next 10, I'm willing to do that. The manager speaks to me regularly about."