Rock-bottom Bath could enter the transfer market in an attempt to try and rescue their alarming Premiership slump.

The six-times English champions plumbed new depths with a club record 48-9 league defeat against title holders Leicester.

And they also had prop John Mallett sent off, after receiving two yellow cards the first, along with Leicester tighthead Darren Garforth, for brawling, the second for illegal use of the boot.

The Welford Road mauling by five-try Tigers eclipsed Bath's previous worst league beating a 50-23 loss to Saracens four years ago leaving them bottom of the Premiership pile with just two points from four games.

And it does not get any easier for the shell-shocked West Country outfit, who will launch their Heineken Cup campaign next Saturday against in-form Biarritz at a hostile Parc des Sports Aguilera.

Bath coach Jon Callard pledged total backing for his players in the wake of Leicester's points spree, but admitted: "Maybe we need to supplement the squad it doesn't need a scientist to work that out.

"There is scope for strengthening, and a mechanism is in place, but anything we might do in that area won't detract from the young players."

Callard is determined to tough it out with his existing squad, a mixture of raw youth and international experience, but the combination just isn't working at this early stage in a marathon nine-month domestic season.

"I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt," added Callard, whose team has conceded 10 tries and more than 100 points already this term.

"We've had record defeats before, and this is the time when you test your character and your mettle. I have got no intention of walking away I will back these players to the hilt. We are all in this together, and hopefully we can start to turn things round."

Playmaker Mike Catt, sidelined since suffering a serious calf muscle injury during the Lions tour of Australia, could make his comeback in Biarritz, but centre Mike Tindall took a series of knocks on Saturday and looks like missing out.

For Leicester, it was all plain sailing as they moved top of the Premiership in ominous fashion, Bath only responding with three penalties from young fly-half Olly Barkley.

Returning Lion Austin Healey collected Tigers' opening try, then fly-half Andy Goode, outstanding flanker Lewis Moody, wing Steve Booth and full-back Tim Stimpson followed suit. Stimpson also added five penalties and four conversions for a 28-point haul.

Leicester boss Dean Richards could afford to substitute Healey and Lions captain Martin Johnson well before the end, although Tigers did not truly make their one-man advantage count, scoring just 14 points after Mallett departed.