Wolves’ extensive search for a new defender today saw them weighing up an approach for Villa’s Richard Dunne to solve their problems at the back.

Manager Mick McCarthy is a big admirer of the 31-year-old, who has been out of favour since being replaced by Carlos Cuellar for the 2-1 win over Albion on December 11.

McCarthy, who handed Dunne his international debut for Ireland in 2000 against Greece, made a cheeky attempt to land the former Everton man just before he left Manchester City for Villa in a £5m move in August 2009.

But although the Wolves boss was resigned to losing out on Dunne then, his changed situation at Villa now makes Molineux a possible destination when the transfer window opens in three days’ time.

Dunne is desperate to play regular first team football again, and, after falling down the pecking order under Gerard Houllier, he could see Wolves as an option to get playing again.

Meanwhile, Steven Fletcher has been primed to re-launch his Molineux career as Wolves prepare to go for broke at Anfield tonight.

The joint-record signing hopes to put an indifferent first six months at the club behind him as manager McCarthy looks for fresh inspiration from the bottom of the table.

Fletcher has struggled to get a starting spot since his £6m move from Burnley last summer with McCarthy even forced to deal with speculation that one of his key acquisitions was looking for a swift exit in January.

But despite only making six starts, Fletcher has a healthy five goals to his credit and there was a strong hint from McCarthy today that he would be in the starting XI tonight.

“He’s got a good chance, let’s put it like that,” said the Wolves boss.

“He’s getting fitter all the time. He was out for 10 days, probably longer, with an injury during which time he lost about 11 or 12 kilos in weight – though I don’t know where from.

“But he’s looking sharper and fitter now.”

Matt Jarvis can also be expected to return as Wolves attempt to turn their season around – and take one last chance to get off the dreaded last place before the year turns – at a still daunting venue.

Liverpool have still to convince their own punters that they are through their own troubled start and McCarthy confirms it is not his intention to ask his players to adopt a defensive strategy at Anfield.

And while Wolves fans are slowly losing faith in the team’s fight for survival, McCarthy retains implicit faith in his players’ ability to turn the corner.

“If you feed them the question ‘are you still confident?’ then of course they are going to say ‘yes,’” says McCarthy.

“But I take my answer from seeing how they conduct themselves around the place and in training. And there is no doubt in my mind that they still believe.

“We might not be the best team in the country and I might not be the best manager but we’ve got a great group of players who will never be found wanting for lack of endeavour.

“I admired them, even in the midst of their worst performance of the season on Sunday, for the way they kept going and kept going and scored after 87 minutes. They believe they can put it right and so do I.”