Bryan Mbeumo's injury is undoubtedly a blow for Brentford. His substantial step into the breach for Ivan Toney has been a huge part of their improvement this season.
Because, although it might not seem like it, Brentford have improved. They may be roughly in the same league position as last term - currently 11th - but the team have improved across almost every metric.
They have scored more goals in open play per game, have a better xG, created more chances, had more shots, and completed more passes, with better accuracy. It is conceding more goals that has let them down so far.
This improvement yet again is all the more impressive when you consider the raft of key players that have been missing, and it bodes well for their capacity to cope without the injured Mbuemo.
As well as Toney's ban, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Mathias Jensen, Josh Dasilva, Aaron Hickey, Kristoffer Ajer and Nathan Collins have all been out with substantial injuries, and they have only just recovered Ben Mee and Keane Lewis-Potter.
They have been playing their star defensive-midfielder Vitaly Janelt at left-back. Attacking-midfielder Saman Ghoddos played at right-back against Sheffield United. And now 29 goals from last season and seven from this are missing.
Yet all these issues have gone relatively unnoticed outside of the club and their supporters because results have barely suffered. They beat West Ham and won away at Chelsea. You would expect them to lose to Arsenal and Liverpool. Only the defeat at Bramall Lane you could say was a poor outcome, and they perhaps should have earned a point at Brighton.
Their 19 points from 16 games is only three less than at this point last season, with the same number of victories - and this is testament to the squad they have built and the standard of coaching from Thomas Frank and his staff. And, of course, the commitment of the players.
Mbeumo is a doubt for the Africa Cup of Nations because of his ongoing ankle problem, and it would be bittersweet for Brentford if the problem lasts long enough to keep him out of the tournament.
He will miss the home games against Aston Villa and Wolves, and the trip to Crystal Palace to see out the year, while the FA Cup third-round tie against Wolves is also doubtful - but the Bees do not then have another game until January 20, after AFCON begins, following their winter break.
It could mean the return of Mbeumo coincides with the return of Toney for a crunch clash with Nottingham Forest, and Mbuemo avoiding a tournament that could keep him - as well as fellow forward Yoan Wissa - away until the AFCON final on February 11.
They may feel like new signings during the January window and Brentford's ability to cope without them bodes well for how strongly they could finish the season when both - and the rest - return.