Ex-Wolves boss Graham Taylor believes Mick McCarthy’s men can retain their top-flight status – so long as they stand by their positive principles.

Taylor, the former manager of England and Villa, rates the current Wolves squad which won this season’s Championship as better than the one which earned Premier League promotion six years ago.

And he believes McCarthy’s young side can go one better than Dave Jones’ team and survive life with the big boys by following their attack-minded policy.

“I think they’ve got a better squad,” said Taylor, who was speaking at today’s Grass Roots Football Live launch. “I think it’s pacier and it’s a little bit younger. He just needs to get the balance right.

“It doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy for them. I think it will be hard, but you need pace in the Premier League and they can score goals.

“What I hope they don’t do is change their approach from a side that’s prepared to attack and try to score goals to one who try to keep clean sheets – because they’re not going to do that. They will still lose.

“They might only lose by one or two but I would rather they take the approach of challenging teams.”