Wolves boss Mick McCarthy greeted his three-strong strikeforce being fully fit for the first time this season today by declaring “They’re as good as anyone outside the European places”.

McCarthy had £7m record buy Steven Fletcher fit again after missing the last two games for today’s clash against Newcastle.

Fletcher was likely to start on the bench as he competed with in-form Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who got off the mark in last week’s 1-1 draw at Everton, and Kevin Doyle, who is edging towards full fitness after his calf injury.

Ironically, McCarthy, who also has former Celtic and Hull striker and free agent Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink on his radar as a possible target, is a big admirer of Andy Carroll, the in-form man in opposition and the Toon’s hat-trick hero in last week’s 6-0 win over Villa.

Asked if his strikers are as good as anyone outside the top four or five teams, he said: “I think they are. I’m delighted with our centre forwards.

“Fletcher was excellent on the first day, although he’s been injured since and it’s great to see him fit again. But Sylvan played that day and did really well and put a real shift in.”

He had a different game at Everton last weekend but put another great shift in and got a goal.

“So there’s only Doyle who hasn’t scored and yet he was outstanding for us last season – our best player by a mile. He was one of the best centre-forwards around.

“It’s fantastic to have the three of them back and competing for places.

“I think we have strikers who can all play that centre-forward’s role.

“Maybe they’re not all brilliant in the air, but they compete in the air and they’ve proved they can score goals.

“Sylvan might have only got two last season, against Villa and Blackburn, but he’s got one already this time in two games. Fletcher and Doyle scored their fair share last season.”

Holland international Vennegoor of Hesselink is without a club after his release from the Tigers.

But McCarthy is happy either way about signing a fourth forward. “We can play with one up front and we’ve got a number of options where we can play with three so I’m not desperately in need of one,” he said.

“”But if one turns up we may well sign one.”