Mick McCarthy feels heat at Wolves

Manager Mick McCarthy has admitted Wolves now face a "huge fight" to beat the drop after confessing the team's slump is putting pressure on him.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Blackpool was Wolves' ninth in 11 games and chairman Steve Morgan will have been given the lowdown from the regulars after sitting with the fans as a guest of Steve Bull.

But McCarthy's future is not on the agenda and the board remain convinced he will turn the current run around.

He said: "It's a huge fight. It was before Saturday. That result made it even harder. All managers know in football, it's about getting results.

"If you're not getting results the pressure mounts. I don't sit and worry about that, though.

"I worry about what we can do to make sure we start getting some points."

As if they haven't got enough to concern them, Wolves are also casting anxious eyes over the injury to captain Karl Henry.

The captain, who was linked with Everton yesterday, came off after an hour and limped away from Bloomfield Road with what appeared to be an injury to his right knee.

And they will have to do without Christophe Berra for Saturday's home clash with Sunderland, as the Scot is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season.

McCarthy insists hard work is the only answer to their problems.

He said: "All we can do to rectify it is carry on working down the training ground. It can become doom and gloom very quickly but we have to make sure that doesn't happen.

"We've been chasing games and there's a different complexion on it when you go behind so early."

McCarthy also revealed he took Kevin Foley off after the full-back failed to recover from his mistake for Luke Varney's opener.

The Wolves boss said: "Kevin Foley's had a great season. But he was having a tough time.

"We needed to get back in the game so I put Nenad Milijas on."

McCarthy is hoping Kevin Doyle's first Premier League strike of the season can spark a flurry of goals.

He said: "Let's hope it starts a little spree for Doyle."