Leeds midfielder Nicky Barmby is out until at least Christmas after damaging his Achilles tendon prior to yesterday's 2-0 defeat against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
The injury, sustained in the warm-up, is not as bad as first feared as there were concerns Barmby had either snapped or ruptured the tendon.
But Barmby will still be sidelined for a few weeks and joins a casualty list which includes Dominic Matteo, Lucas Radebe, Olivier Dacourt, Danny Mills, Paul Okon and David Batty, although the latter is out of favour with boss Terry Venables anyway.
But Venables concedes Barmby's injury "is typical of what's been happening really," although is obviously relieved it is not more serious.
He added: "It's one of those freak injuries. He was training, his studs got caught and he got a real bad pain down his Achilles. It didn't look good at the time, fortunately it's not ruptured or anything like that."
Striker Mark Viduka, who started on the bench at Spurs but was subbed in the 84th minute due to a calf injury after replacing Jacob Burns late in the first half, is undergoing intensive treatment in a bid to be fit for the UEFA Cup trip to Malaga.
But there is good news for under-fire Venables with Robbie Fowler and Seth Johnson making their latest comebacks from injury for the reserves against Sunderland tonight.
Fowler, who required hip surgery in the summer following his return from the World Cup, has played just 68 minutes of reserve team football this season.
But that was five weeks ago as he later suffered another problem with his hip which has led to a longer-than-expected spell on the sidelines.
A successful run-out tonight, though, could lead to Fowler being on the plane to Malaga.