Sunderland have a packed week ahead, but they’ll be missing some important players along the way.

Régis Le Bris says both Nordi Mukiele and Brian Brobbey are out after picking up knocks during the 3-1 loss to Fulham. Mukiele’s dealing with a calf problem, and Brobbey’s got a groin issue. Neither injury is serious, but both guys will miss a few games. The schedule isn’t doing Sunderland any favours either: Bournemouth, Leeds United, and then either Port Vale or Bristol City, all in eight days.

Le Bris hopes to have Mukiele and Brobbey back when they take on Newcastle United next month, but it depends on how quickly they recover. Dennis Cirkin is also set to miss this stretch as he works back from a minor hamstring injury.

“With Nordi and Brian, it shouldn’t be too long,” Le Bris said. “We’re looking at something like two to four weeks, depending on how they respond. Dennis and Reinildo are both improving. We miss them, but they’re on the way back. Dennis could be back in about ten days, but it really depends on how he gets through the last stage of rehab.”

Romaine Mundle and Jocelin Ta Bi look set for longer spells out, as the club decides if they’ll need surgery. Mundle has a hamstring issue, and Ta Bi’s ankle is still causing trouble. Ta Bi actually arrived at Sunderland carrying that ankle injury and then got unlucky with a fresh knock against Fulham. If surgery is the answer, both players could be sidelined for quite a while.

“It’s a tough one for Romaine,” Le Bris said. “He could be out for a few weeks, maybe a month, maybe longer. We’re still waiting on some tests, but honestly, it doesn’t look great right now. We’re not even sure if it’s the same injury as before, but the early signs aren’t positive.

“Jocelin’s in a similar spot, though his injury’s different. He might need surgery, too. It’s too soon to say, but if that’s the case, he’ll also be out for weeks or longer. It’s just bad luck, really, a small kick, but it hit right where he’s most vulnerable.

“Still, he’s fitting in well with the squad, so I’m not worried about him mentally. He’s a little shy since he’s new, but he’s already making connections. He’s picking up English; his French is great, so he’s settling in fine.”

On the bright side, Bertrand Traoré is back in full training and could make the squad for Bournemouth. “Bertrand’s training again, so that’s good news for us.”

As for Bournemouth, they have their own problems. Andoni Iraola is worried about Lewis Cook, who missed their last match with a hamstring issue. “He felt something in training,” Iraola said. “We haven’t done the MRI yet, but it doesn’t seem too bad. Still, there’s definitely something there.”

Both Justin Kluivert and Ben Gannon-Doak are already out long-term, so Bournemouth aren’t exactly at full strength either. 

West Ham are heading to Anfield on Saturday, and you can bet they’ve got one thing in mind: finally beating Liverpool there, something they haven’t pulled off since 2015.

Sure, the Hammers only managed a 0-0 draw with Bournemouth last weekend, dropping a couple of points at home. But the silver lining? They’ve managed to close the gap on Nottingham Forest in 17th to just two points. Not bad, all things considered.

Next up is Arne Slot’s Liverpool, a team that's been all over the place this season. Just look at that wild 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, who were sitting 19th at the time, back in November. Liverpool rarely loses twice at home to teams starting the day in the relegation zone; the last time was way back in the 1992-93 season.

But with Nuno Espirito Santo in charge, West Ham look dangerous, especially because they tend to come out flying in the first half. If Liverpool start slow, like they often do, West Ham could punish them.

Here’s what West Ham needs to do: keep up that strong start. They’ve picked up 11 points from their last six games, mainly thanks to their first-half performances. In fact, 59% of their Premier League goals this season have come before halftime, the highest proportion in the league.

Liverpool, on the other hand, barely gets going until after the break. Only 31% of their goals come in the first half, which is the lowest share in the division. Remember when West Ham struck first against Chelsea, Tottenham, and Sunderland? They ended up winning two of those three matches. If they can do the same at Anfield, Nuno’s counter-attacking setup might just cause Liverpool some real headaches.

But here’s where things get tricky. Liverpool never know when they’re beaten, and some of their wildest games have come down to the wire this season. More goals have been scored in the 90th minute (and stoppage time) of Liverpool’s matches than any other team’s. Nine of those late goals have changed the result from last-gasp winners to heartbreaking losses. Just last Sunday, Alexis Mac Allister scored in the 97th minute to snatch all three points against Nottingham Forest.

So, if West Ham do grab the lead, great. Nuno’s plan is working. But fans shouldn’t get too comfortable. If they sit back and try to protect that lead, things could get tense. Liverpool loves a dramatic finish, and they never stop coming.