Manager Mick McCarthy believes Wolves’ Premier League destiny will be determined at Molineux.

With six of the 11 games left at home and notable scalps already in front of their own fans against leaders Manchester United, champions Chelsea and big-spending Manchester City, it’s perhaps not the most surprising statement by the boss.

Add to that Wolves’ away record of five points out of 42 – which makes them the worst travelling team in any of the four English divisions.

But for a proud man who prefers to champion his pride and belief in his players over calling on his supporters for help, it is evidence of McCarthy’s willingness to reach out to all corners of the ‘Wolves family’ to eke out whatever advantage he can to unite Molineux in the battle for survival.

He said: “It looks like Molineux could be the key. We have had the majority of our wins at home and we have beaten good teams at home.

“What we need is the atmosphere we had against Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.

“Our fans are brilliant, but I don’t know how we create that special atmosphere collectively. Every game is different.

“Perhaps when Manchester United come here everyone is all excited.”

With just one win and one draw of the eight games against teams around them in 2010-11, it’s plain to see Wolves struggle when they are expected to get a result.

Although, with three more derbies to come, they can take comfort from the fact those four points have come against Birmingham and Albion.

But McCarthy admits his players must handle expectations.

He said: “They have to embrace that expectancy against teams who are our equals in a similar position to us.

“When Blackpool come everyone expects us to beat them. West Brom will come to us and that will be different too because it’s a local derby.

“But when other teams come here we don’t quite have that electric buzz around the place.”

Visits from Blackpool this Saturday and Tottenham eight days later kick off Wolves’ most crucial home run in years.

Everton, Fulham, Albion and Blackburn on the final day are the other teams due at Molineux before the bulldozers move in to create Steve Morgan’s vision of the future.

With just one point from the last 18 and having leaked 17 goals in that damaging spell before they host Tottenham tonight, Ian Holloway’s Tangerines have plunged into freefall, with the last of their five away victories coming on December 28.