Danny Batth backing Wolves to stop the rot

Captain Danny Batth is confident Wolves can stop the rot against Middlesbrough tonight.

Wolves are bidding to halt the flow of goals against after leaking 11 in the last four games following just three in the first eight outings.

They face a Boro team who have the best defensive record in the Championship having been breached just nine times.

Aitor Karanka's third-placed side come to Molineux on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run in the league with a defence, including former Wolves left-back George Friend, that has let in just three goals during that run.

However, it's at the other end of the pitch where the focus is ahead of the encounter but Batth is confident Wolves can solve their defensive worries.

"We've got players capable of conceding zeros and ones and we can hopefully use that to build on," said the skipper.

"We're a team that was built on clean sheets last season. Coming up a level, that's what we're trying to replicate here but the last few games we have been caught cold a few times.

"We've got a strong squad here and players that are biding their time waiting for opportunities.

"When they come along players are willing to come in, like Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Tommy Rowe did, and give a good account of themselves.

"It's a case of maintaining performances and making sure you're consistent. Players have to know that every Saturday when they're going out wearing the gold shirt that they've got to deliver."

And boss Kenny Hackett could well contemplate more alterations to a back four that showed two changes on Saturday as Richard Stearman and Scott Golbourne made way for Ebanks-Landell and Rowe, who dropped from midfield to left-back.

"Ethan's bided his time, like myself, and he was solid. He got his goal and he did really well," said Batth.

"He can hold his head high for that performance and it will give him confidence for the future."

Saturday's see-saw 3-3 draw at Millwall saw Wolves concede three after being 3-0 up.

After the game the players stayed on the pitch for a debrief with assistant manager Joe Gallen but Batth says any conclusions will be kept strictly in-house.

"That's something we'll keep in the dressing room," he said.

"We all have our opinions but we try not to act too much in the emotion of the result, but to come back with a calculated analysis."

But he gave an insight into what Wolves were facing as Millwall gambled heavily to get back into the game.

"It's a handful. You've got experienced players like Ricardo Fuller – who's done it in the Premier League – coming off the bench and he showed a touch of class.

"As a team we feel we did well enough at one end of the pitch and it's our job to make sure we do our job at the other end."

Batth suggested the unpredictable nature of the Championship made tonight's clash a tough one to call.

"You look at recent results and who would have backed Cardiff to have beaten Forest? Anything can happen – it's the Championship."