Mick McCarthy warns of Wolves' task

Manager Mick McCarthy has warned his buoyant club of the size of the task facing Wolves when go to Everton.

A clutch of summer signings and an opening-day victory over Stoke secured by a goal from club-record signing Steven Fletcher has flooded the Molineux club with early optimism at the start of this team's second Premier League campaign.

But David Moyes' Everton have spent the week brooding over their first-day setback at Blackburn and McCarthy is alert to the threat posed by their ambitious hosts tomorrow.

He said: "They are still challengers for a top-four place - there's no doubt about that.

"I don't think Dave's got loads of money to spend, but I was with him at Old Trafford on Monday night and told him that he had assembled a really top squad of players.

"They were as good as any team we played last season - powerful, quick, athletic and packed with good footballers.

"We played them at the end of the season at Molineux and got a goalless draw out of it, but it was a really tough match for us.

"People have made something out of them losing at Blackburn on opening day, but take a look at the match stats and you will see most of them are in Everton's favour.

"This is as difficult as it gets."

It won't be made any easier by McCarthy's concern for two of his new players who made their debuts last week.

Having been initially confident Jelle Van Damme would recover from an ankle problem, the Wolves boss says the Belgian international must now be considered a "serious doubt."

Fletcher is also a worry because of the foot injury sustained in the Stoke game - although he was due to press his claims for inclusion in training today.

Kevin Doyle has confirmed his fitness to take on a full-strength home side, while Ronald Zubar is also back in contention after training all week.

But Wolves fans should not expect any appearances in the immediate future from this week's two teenage signings, Welsh striker Jake Cassidy and Irish defender Matt Doherty.

Both have been recruited with the future in mind.

McCarthy added: "They've got a lot to learn and are miles away from the first team."