Hunt has Baggies in his sights

Midfielder Stephen Hunt said Wolves are looking to maintain their form when they face rivals West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Hunt scored the only goal in Wolves’ 1-0 win over Birmingham in the Midlands derby on Saturday, which was their first clean sheet for the season.

Wolves now tackle West Bromwich Albion in a second Midlands derby in eight days on Sunday but this one has even more meaning.

It will be the first time Wolves and Albion will meet in the English Premier League, as the clubs have never been in the top flight at the same time before.

Hunt said the Birmingham victory was especially pleasing.

“We needed that win. (The goal) gave us a lift. I know I was the one who scored but we don’t half work hard as a team. That was the main thing,” he said.

“It’s a platform now to go on away from home next week. They’re a good footballing team. We have to crack on now and get our season going.”

Hunt said he had a taste of what Wolves fans thought of anyone with an Albion connection when former Baggies striker Lee Hughes played Mick McCarthy’s side in a Carling Cup encounter in September.

“I’m led to believe it’s the biggest game of the season. I saw the reception Lee Hughes got here (playing for Notts County earlier this season), it should be fun. It will be a good derby game,” Hunt said.

Wolves are likely to welcome back Matt Jarvis for the derby, after McCarthy ruled him out of the Birmingham game, but a decision on the midfielder’s fitness, and that of striker Kevin Doyle, would be made later in the week.

“Jarvis was a doubt all week and I’d half made my mind up because of working with the other lads,” McCarthy told the Wolverhampton Express & Star.

“He’d have had to have been bang at it by Friday and he wasn’t.”

“(Kevin) Doyle came off training on Friday with a problem and he had a scan which confirmed it as a thigh strain.”

“It would be a nice headache to have a few players back and have some choices to make.”

“I’d maybe say Jarvis has a better chance than Doyle but we don’t really know yet.”