Tottenham Hotspur have been hit with the news that top scorer Jermain Defoe will be out for three weeks.
The former Portsmouth forward suffered a torn hamstring in training this week and will miss Saturday's Premier League game with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.
Furthermore, the squad is depleted as youngsters Danny Rose and Kyle Walker have suffered respective knee and wrist injuries and David Bentley could miss the Stoke game through illness.
With winger Aaron Lennon and central midfield pair Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone all also out, not forgetting defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King, Harry Redknapp's side are feeling the cost of their season-long battle for a place in the top four.
"Jermain tore a hamstring yesterday. It's a Grade 2 tear so it will certainly keep him out for a few weeks," Redknapp was quoted as saying by the club's website.
"Kyle fractured his wrist in the practice game against West Ham on Tuesday so he's going into plaster and Danny damaged his knee ligaments in training yesterday also.
"So we're struggling a little bit because David (Bentley) went down with a virus this morning and neither JJ or Tom are fit yet.
"We've run into a bad spell of injuries. I've got Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Eidur Gudjohnsen to cover up front but it's other areas where we are just a little bit short at the moment, especially in midfield."