Last Updated: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:09
Kenwyne Jones, Danny Collins, Carlos Edwards and Nyron Nosworthy are racing to be fit for Sunderland's visit of West Ham on Saturday.
Black Cats boss Roy Keane revealed that the quartet are struggling with illness and injury following the crucial 1-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday in which Michael Chopra's late goal lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone.
Influential striker Jones missed the Villa Park trip due to flu, while Edwards, Collins and Nosworthy picked up respective groin, dead leg and ankle injuries during the course of the match.
The slight boost is that Jones and Edwards will now be unable to jet off to link up with the Trindad & Tobago squad for this week's friendly international, but Keane says all four players will face a fight to be ready for the Hammers' visit to the Stadium of Light this weekend.
Following Saturday's first away win of the season, Keane said: "We'd lost Kenwyne Jones to a virus which was always going to make it difficult for us at Villa.
"He's a very important player for us, but, ironically, it probably made us play better football because, obviously, when you've got a player like Kenwyne in your side, the tendency is to go long because he's so good at getting on the end of things.
"But he missed training the day before the game with the virus and there's no way he could have been involved in the game against Villa.
"Carlos has a slight groin problem. He picked it up in training the day before, so we didn't want him playing the full game.
"Neither of them will be fit enough to travel on international duty this week.
"Nyron picked up a knock in the game, as did Danny, so we'll just have to wait and see how they come along.
"There were plenty of ice packs in the dressing room, but then there usually are - there'd be something wrong if there wasn't after a Premier League game."