Albion caretaker boss Michael Appleton was today facing a quadruple injury scare ahead of Saturday’s relegation showdown with West Ham.

Captain Chris Brunt, goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, defender Marek Cech and midfielder Graham Dorrans all withdrew from international squads last night to nurse injuries ahead of the Baggies’ first match since the sacking of head coach Roberto Di Matteo.

Brunt picked up an ankle injury and Myhill a dead leg in Saturday’s defeat at Manchester City, while Dorrans is still troubled by the ankle problem that has kept him sidelined for the last three matches and Cech is still battling the groin problem that kept him out at Eastlands.

The players withdrew from friendlies for Northern Ireland, Wales, Slovakia and Scotland respectively.

And Appleton today began preparing the players for Saturday’s match without a host of potential starters who have linked up with their national sides for midweek friendlies.

Midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu has ended his self-imposed international exile to join up with DR Congo for their friendly against Gabon in France tomorrow.

The Baggies midfielder withdrew from the international scene in October 2009 because of a dispute with the Congolese Football Federation, but has now settled those differences and returned to the fold in time for the match in Rouen.

Following talks with his country’s football federation, at the start of this season, it was agreed he would not return to action before Christmas in order to help him find his feet in his first full Premier League season with Albion.

James Morrison has linked up with Scotland for their meeting with Northern Ireland on neutral ground in Dublin and Gabriel Tamas is set to figure for Romania in a friendly with Ukraine in Paralimni tonight.

Leading scorer Peter Odemwingie has also joined up with Nigeria for their friendly with Sierra Leone this evening.

Tomorrow, Jonas Olsson will be part of the Sweden team facing Cyprus in Nicosia. Paul Scharner could line up for Austria against Holland in Eindhoven and Somen Tchoyi could figure in Cameroon’s friendly with Macedonia in Skopje.

Albion also have three players – James Hurst, Saido Berahino and George Thorne – away on England under-19s duty for the match Germany at Chesterfield tonight.