Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has warned his survival fighters not to go ‘soft’ now they are in the home straight.

McCarthy takes his side to Sunderland tomorrow knowing a Wolves victory could make them safe – if Bolton and West Ham win at Blackpool and Wigan respectively.

But Wolves have failed to record back-to-back wins all season and the manager warned his players not to weaken their resolve after beating Albion last weekend.

He said: “We’re out of the bottom three and the feeling is good and the mood has changed everyone.

“But let’s not start getting ‘milky’ and ‘soft’ and think we’ve done our job, because we haven’t. Let’s remain tough, stoic and resolute like we’ve had to be all season.

“We did a job against West Brom and we’ve got two tough ones coming up.”

McCarthy remains highly sceptical of the three scenarios falling into place to make Wolves safe tomorrow.

He said: “Who knows the whole run of results we might need? We both need something out of the Blackburn game here.

“There have been a couple of times where we could have been put out of sight, like after losing in the 93rd minute at Bolton, but we came back and beat Manchester United.

“There are a few times where we’ve responded really well like last Sunday.

“I’m sure the other teams will be looking for a response now so we’ve got to make sure we do our job.”

One thing the Wolves boss can’t influence is other results, and McCarthy has no problem with Manchester United playing a weakened team in their potential pivotal final game against Blackpool, when the hosts could be celebrating all-but certain Premier League triumph.

In 2007, a weakened United lost 1-0 at home to West Ham as Sheffield United went down, six days before Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

But McCarthy, whose nine changes against United at Old Trafford in December 2009 cost Wolves a £25,000 suspended fine, is not concerned.

He said: “I can’t do anything about a weakened team – I’m not bothered. I have no axe to grind with Sir Alex Ferguson.”

Wolves winger Michael Kightly has recovered from his groin injury to be in contention for tomorrow’s game.