Three damaging defeats in succession have sunk Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers deeper into the quick sand, and Saturday's daunting challenge in the form of Sunderland has been made more difficult by bad news from the treatment room.
Sam Nicholson, often Rovers' most influential player, will not play again this season due to a hip injury, and key senior players Alex Rodman and Anssi Jaakkola are not yet ready to return to action, leaving Barton's resources depleted.
Sunderland are riding a superb run of form and the Gas, two points from safety, will have to deliver one of their best performances of the season to get a result today.
This is the expected Rovers team to play Sunderland at the Mem on Saturday...
Defence
Joe Day was powerless to stop Swindon's winner on Tuesday and he will keep the gloves. Jordi van Stappershoef will be his understudy, with Anssi Jaakkola agonisingly close to a return.
Rovers started in a back four on Tuesday, but midway through the game Barton went to a back three and he will likely keep that shape this afternoon.
George Williams, Alfie Kilgour and Jack Baldwin will be deployed at centre-back, with Cian Harries nursing an injury and Max Ehmer ruled out for the season.
Josh Hare and Luke Leahy will be tasked with offering width and quality delivery for Rovers' forwards.
Alex Rodman is still a couple of weeks away from a return, but Mark Little, David Tutonda, Ali Koiki and Pablo Martinez could make the bench.
Midfield
Injury to Ed Upson has left Barton seemingly with only one choice of pairing for central midfield. Josh Grant and Luke McCormick will be paired side by side.
Ahead of them could be Zain Westbrooke, who had a goal harshly chalked off on Tuesday before a weak attempt at a challenge opened the door for Swindon to score. It was a horrible night for the former Coventry City man, but with Nicholson ruled out for the season, Westbrooke is one of few possible sources of creativity.
Barton may be tempted to start Erhun Oztumer with a view to causing Sunderland problems, but the visitors may have plenty of the ball and an industrious front two would perhaps offer a more effective press.
Cameron Hargreaves and Ben Liddle could make the bench.
Attack
Sunderland boss Lee Johnson picked out Rovers' attacking pairing of Brandon Hanlan and Jonah Ayunga as a cause of concern for the Black Cats. They are likely to lead the line together.
James Daly and Zain Walker should make the bench.
Rovers (3-4-1-2): Day; Williams, Kilgour, Baldwin; Hare, Grant, McCormick, Leahy (c); Westbrooke; Ayunga, Hanlan.
