Steven Mouyokolo has insisted Wolves can handle the pressure of another relegation scrap.

Last season, Mouyokolo’s own battle for survival was ultimately doomed as Hull City went down and Wolves stayed up.

But his reputation as the Tigers’ most consistent player in the second half of the campaign earned him a £2.5million move to Molineux.

Now the 23-year-old is preparing to step into the breach left by the suspended Christophe Berra against Sunderland this Saturday.

Berra’s one-match ban and the almost certain continued absence of Jody Craddock has left Wolves thin on the ground at the back.

Coupled with the loss of captain Karl Henry from the midfield engine room for the next two months, and on the back of nine defeats in 11 games, it looks a grim picture indeed as Wolves prepare to face Sunderland.

But Mouyokolo believes the players can cope with the pressure.

He said: “I don’t think the players have been massively affected. Of course losing games has a little effect but it’s part of our job and we need to handle it – it’s part of the game. Every game is very different.

“We expect to get something from these games because we’re fighting for survival and every minute of each match is vitally important.”

Conceding goals in the opening minutes – as Wolves have done in their last three games – has been their downfall recently.

But Mouyokolo insists a few tweaks in concentration is all that’s needed to rectify the problems.

He said: “Conceding goals in the first few minutes makes it very tough, but we have to deal with that and keep our heads up. Of course, it’s impossible for us to keep leaking goals like that.

“I think with more concentration and togetherness it will come – hopefully soon.”

Berra’s suspension for Saturday’s must-win game at home to Sunderland means Mouyokolo is in the frame to line up alongside Richard Stearman at the back.

Their only appearance together so far was in the 3-2 defeat against Bolton.

Things didn’t immediately go to plan, with Mouyokolo’s header seized upon in the build-up to Stearman’s own goal for Bolton’s 49-second opener.

But Mouyokolo believes that given time, he will show the form that persuaded boss Mick McCarthy to splash out in the summer – and form a partnership with Stearman.

The quietly-spoken Frenchman said: “We’re both 23 but we’ve got to play a lot of games together to get the experience of playing alongside each other.

“Training is one thing but we need the experience of playing games together to generate the confidence we need.

“We need to feel the pressure of playing against top strikers. Last year I felt I had a really good season but I was playing regularly and the confidence came, so I’m not worried about coping.

“My form will come with games, especially with how the gaffer is on to me, talking to me about how I can improve my game.”

Stearman was also involved in Marouane Chamakh’s goal that saw Wolves concede after just 37 seconds in the previous home game.

But he showed, in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Blackpool, that his mistakes haven’t affected him.

And, with 200 senior games under his belt, Mouyokolo believes the former Leicester man’s experience is vital.

He said: “You saw the way he played afterwards against Arsenal that it didn’t affect him.

“Stearman has played a lot of games for his age and has been here for over two years so it won’t bother him.

“He’s been playing well too, so he has confidence.”

Mouyokolo admits he has played so few games – just one start and one substitute’s appearance in the Premier League so far – that it’s too early to say if the quality at Wolves is better than it was at Hull.

But he believes he has to adapt to them quickly.

He said: “That’s a question I can’t answer. The more games you play with your team-mates the more you know about them and the more comfortable you feel tactically.

“It’s important to know who you’re playing with and I hope to develop that as soon as possible.

“Training with them is one thing, but playing games can be very different.”