Leicester Tigers are likely to be down to the bare bones for Saturday's Guinness Premiership derby against Northampton Saints.

Head coach Richard Cockerill could face his toughest task yet of finding 23 fit and available players for the game at Welford Road that looks like being a 24,000 sell-out.

Cockerill, 38, has had to deal with an horrendous injury list all season and his problems have been exacerbated this week as eight members of his squad have been called up to the England squad for the autumn internationals.

Some of those could return if they are given the go-ahead by England manager Martin Johnson.

It seems unlikely, however, that Johnson will want to risk any more injuries to an already depleted England squad by risking them in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a local derby.

Cockerill has lost all of last weekend's starting back row, Jordan Crane, Lewis Moody and Tom Croft, along with three lock forwards in Louis Deacon, Richard Blaze and Ben Kay.

Hooker George Chuter joins the mix and outside centre Dan Hipkiss completes the Tigers' contingent.

Cockerill also has a long-term injury list which includes Toby Flood, Sam Vesty, Geordan Murphy, Harry Ellis, Alesana Tuilagi, Ben Woods, Aaron Mauger and Craig Newby. Short-term injury victims Dan Cole, Mefin Davies, Joe Duffey and Matt Smith were also unavailable for last week's trip to London Irish.

That was a game which saw tight head prop Julian White ruled out for up to eight weeks with a torn hamstring.

Even if all of Cockerill's short-term injury victims are available, he could be without 17 members of his 36-man squad this weekend.

As a result, it seems likely that Cockerill will have to send for Academy reinforcements just to enable him to put out a 23-man squad.

"We have got a number of injury issues going into the Northampton game and will also lose players to England," he said.

"They will have a few players missing too, but nothing like our numbers.

"It is something that we have dealt with all season so we will just have to go on dealing with it."

Northampton have made a good start to the season and are in fourth place in the Guinness Premiership, three points and one place above Leicester.

The Saints could be without young lock Courtney Lawes, fly-half Shane Geraghty, hooker Dylan Hartley and wing/full-back Ben Foden, who were all selected in the England squad, while prop Brian Mujati and lock Juandre Kruger are both suspended.