Nigel Clough says the double blow of Jackson Irvine's departure and Liam Boyce's pre-season ACL injury was a "major reason" for their struggle for Championship survival this season.

The former Ross County duo helped deal Nigel Clough's side a significant setback at the start of the campaign, with record signing Boyce suffering a serious knee injury in Albion's penultimate pre-season friendly and Irvine then leaving to join Hull City in August.

Irvine returns to the Pirelli Stadium for the first time on Tuesday night (7.45pm) following his club-record move to Humberside.

And the effects of his departure and Boyce's injury have certainly been felt in East Staffordshire, with Albion scoring a league-low 30 goals this season.

Irvine finished as the Brewers' top scorer last season, with his 10 goals crucial in keeping Burton in the second tier.

But he had to wait until October to nail down a regular berth at the KCOM Stadium, and while the Australian international will have hoped to be challenging at the other end of the table with his new side, relegation has been a very real possibility this season.

They could ease those fears with defeat of the Brewers, with the possibility of a win lifting the Tigers 10 points clear of the relegation zone with 12 left to play for should Barnsley lose to Ipswich Town on Tuesday night.

"We've missed his goals," Clough said of Irvine.

Jackson Irvine in action for Burton Albion
Jackson Irvine in action for Burton Albion

"It's strange because he hasn't been as prolific at Hull, and you'd have thought with better players around him he would have got more goals than he did with us.

"He hasn't quite managed that.

"But I think losing him and the blow of losing Liam Boyce as well is a major reason why we are where we are.

Liam Boyce looks for a way forward in Burton Albion's draw with Birmingham City

"From the second Jackson signed, if he had a good season then he was going to move on - using it as a stepping stone.

"That's fine, he went, we made money on him and we wished him all the best."