The size of West Bromwich Albion's squad, diminishing by the week, has become a cause for concern at The Hawthorns.

"The team looked drained of energy; on its last legs at the kick-off," Tony Mowbray, the Albion manager, said after his team lost 4-2 at home to Coventry City on Tuesday night.

With suspensions to Paul Robinson and Bostjan Cesar, plus injuries to Martin Albrechtsen and Neil Clement, Albion no longer have the luxury of an oversized squad.

"The defence is thin," Mowbray said. "But we are not the only club to suffer injuries and suspensions. We have to get on with it. Whatever team we put out there against Leicester City [on Saturday], we have to fight for it.

"We have to keep going. We have been a little bit stretched with injuries and suspensions but that is a test for the season. Our character must come through."

Albion showed glimpses of that character when they overturned a two-goal deficit against Coventry only to concede two goals after Robinson was sent off. But there is now a fear that Albion will lose their momentum because of fatigue.

Chris Brunt, the Albion midfield player, has emphasised the need to show the character that made the match against Coventry so exciting.

"As a team we showed a fair bit of resilience," said Brunt. "Robinson's sending-off was a turning point. Down to ten men, we would have been delighted with the point so to lose was very disappointing. Hopefully we can put it right against Leicester.

"It is about pulling together, like we did to pull it back against Coventry. We showed we have got a bit of spirit. If we can take that into Leicester, that will be good.

"But all four goals were bad ones to give away. We worked so hard to get back into it and to throw it away was a kick in the teeth. The gaffer had a few words with us; he never gets too angry or too excited."

Albion are ready to rival Portsmouth and Middlesbrough for the chance to sign Leroy Lita from Reading.

The striker, has been frozen out at the Madejski Stadium in recent weeks, and Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, says that the player could leave the club in January's transfer window.

Lita, who has played for England Under-21, is behind Dave Kitson and Kevin Doyle in the pecking order for Reading and has made it clear to Coppell that he wants first-team football or will leave.

Coppell will allow Lita the chance to move on.

"If someone doesn't want to be here and they are not happy with the way things are going then it's in their best interests, and ours, that they move somewhere else," Coppell said, alerting Albion and a host of other clubs.

Tony Mowbray's promotion-chasing troops have been hit by injuries to star strikers Kevin Phillips and Ishmael Miller, so the boss is keen to bolster his options ahead of the vital last third of the season.

Albion have plenty of cash following the summer sales of stars such as Diomansy Kamara, Jason Koumas and Curtis Davies - and have turned to Lita after being put off Bobby Zamora by West Ham's £5 million valuation.

But the fact they can only offer Championship football puts the Premier League duo in the driving seat for his signature.