McCarthy expecting fiery derby

West Brom and Wolves may not have met in the Premier League for 26 years but all Mick McCarthy is worried about is dragging his side away from the relegation zone.

A huge amount of local pride is at stake in this local derby but Wolves boss McCarthy expects cultured football at The Hawthorns and believes the days of the ‘blood and guts’ derbies are a thing of the past with referees no longer permitting players to make ferocious tackles and remain on the pitch.

“The game has changed considerably,” McCarthy explained. “I don’t see those blood and guts derbies anywhere.”

“Though, there is always an emphasis on how important it is to the fans and the club.”

The former Ireland boss is confident Wolves will stay in the Premier League following last weekend’s victory over neighbours Birmingham City.

“I think we will get out of it,” he said. “We’ve had a bad run and I believe we would win and we did and I believe we will stay up.”

Last weekend McCarthy played Stephen Ward as an emergency centre-forward and recalled Sylvan Ebanks-Blake – a tactic that worked and one he could repeat on Sunday with strikers Kevin Doyle out and seven-million-pound misfit Steven Fletcher doubtful.

“I thought Stephen Ward’s performance was just excellent but I thought Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s performance was his best with Wolves,” he said.

The Wolves manager admires the work of Roberto Di Matteo on the other side of the Black Country divide.

Asked whether he thought the Baggies will be relegated from the Premier League, McCarthy said: “It doesn’t look like it but Burnley didn’t.”

Christophe Berra, Stephen Hunt and Matt Jarvis have all returned to training and should be in the squad. It is doubtful that David Jones will start, despite having resumed training following an infected foot. Striker Steven Fletcher is struggling with a virus.

Kevin Doyle (thigh tear), Michael Manciene (Knee), Karl Henry (knee ligament), Steven Mouyokola (back) and Jody Craddock (hip) are definitely unavailable.