Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole has blamed the absence of a string of first-team players including John Mensah and Sulley Muntari for the club's slide down the Premier League table.
The Ghanaian duo are among several players of the Black Cats who are out because of injuries.
Michael Turner, Titus Bramble and Cattermole have all had spells on the sidelines, coinciding with a slump from sixth to 15th since January.
"We've lost our way a little bit, down to injuries more than anything,"Â Cattermole told BBC Late Kick Off.
"There have been injuries everywhere, and it does disrupt teams."
The Black Cats were also robbed of the services of Fraizer Campbell and Mensah last week, who are both unlikely to play again this season because of injury.
Another key factor in the drop in form - which has seen Sunderland gain just one point from the last nine league matches - has been the lack of goals.
Steve Bruce's side have scored just seven times since beating Blackpool in late January, despite having scored 35 league goals in total during the 2010-11 campaign.