West Brom manager Tony Pulis will be forced to lift his weary troops for their third-round FA Cup replay at Bristol City without key midfielder James Morrison and possibly skipper Darren Fletcher.
Pulis learned the full extent of Morrison's injury over the weekend -- a ruptured hamstring will rule him out for up to eight weeks -- while fellow midfielder Fletcher is in a race to be fit after taking a bang on his knee in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Southampton.
Fletcher is a major doubt and could also miss Saturday's Premier League derby against Aston Villa, leaving Pulis to consider a foray into the loan market despite being mindful of his chairman Jeremy Peace's reluctance to do business in January.
"We'll see what happens, there's still two weeks of the window to go," Pulis told the Express & Star. "Fletcher's going to have a scan and then we'll look at it.
"We're hoping it's something we can sort out, but until it's scanned we just don't know how bad it is.
"We're disappointed with Morrison. That's a big blow for us because James has been a good player for us in that pocket.
"That's two very important midfield players for us and two players who've been very good this year.
"We don't need that. We haven't got a big enough squad to cope with those sort of injuries."
The Baggies rescued a replay at Ashton Gate courtesy of Morrison's stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns.
As a result they will have played their fifth match in a little over two weeks when they pitch up at Villa Park on Saturday and Pulis is running short of options as his side hit the road for the second time in four days.
"It's very difficult," Pulis said. "It's the way it's dropped and you have to do your best."
Albion are currently eight points above the relegation zone, but just two wins from their last nine matches is cause for concern and Pulis' focus is still on the Premier League.
Pulis' side twice hit back from behind to earn a point from a 2-2 draw at Chelsea last Wednesday, but lost their way at Southampton.
"There were half a dozen players out there who looked empty," Pulis added.
Bristol City meanwhile lie in wait with their tails up after giving their Sky Bet Championship survival hopes a boost with a surprise win against Middlesbrough at the weekend under temporary boss John Pemberton.