The Wolverhampton-born midfield schemer, who returned to full training under the watchful eyes of Wolves physio Barry Holmes on Monday, was clinging to the hope of returning from his serious knee injury in time for The Hawthorns clash a week on Sunday.

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But McCarthy insists the teenager has no chance of making the eagerly awaited showdown with Albion on October 22 – and he won’t risk Davies’s long-term fitness in such a highly charged fixture.

“There’s no way he’ll be back. I appreciate his enthusiasm, but we don’t want to risk him. You really need to be 100 per cent for a game like that anyway.

“When you’ve taken the time, the care and the consideration to have an operation to stitch the cartilage and make it three months out rather than trimming it and risk long-term damage, then you don’t want to rush him back.”

The Wolves chief also admitted the Academy graduate faces a fierce fight to dislodge his current first- choice midfield.

“That is not to knock Mark – he is a good player. I want him back in contention because no doubt somebody will get injured or suspended over the course of the season,” McCarthy said.

“But all our midfield players have been excellent and he wouldn’t get straight into the team because Seyi Olofinjana, Rohan Ricketts, Darren Potter and Karl Henry have all been playing well.”

Davies is ahead of schedule with his rehab and says he has felt no ill-effects after stepping up training this week. And McCarthy says the determination of the age-group England captain to make a swift return has impressed him.

n Wolves’ forgotten man Denes Rosa has declared himself fit and ready to make a return this weekend.

The Hungarian midfielder has been out for seven weeks with a medial knee ligament injury, but made his return against Chesterfield at Saltergate yesterday. And, after playing 70 minutes without any problems, Rosa says he is ready to return if needed.

By Mark Douglas