Wolves 2 Burnley 0 - analysis

Mick McCarthy may have hobbled to the dug-out but there was nothing limp about his Wolves team on Saturday.

Burnley came to Molineux with their stats suggesting McCarthy's table-toppers faced a formidable challenge – beaten just once in 15 games, a sequence that had taken them fourth and included a recent victory over Steve Coppell's on-the-charge Reading.

Wolves simply chewed 'em up and spat 'em out, claiming a dominant, convincing victory which made a nonsense of the short distance between the teams in the Championship table.

It left McCarthy's outfit two wins clear of the field by the end of the day.

Naturally, with his team's progress once more looking so promising, the manager wheeled out his gruff old Yorkshireman routine in an effort to dampen that most dangerous of Molineux features, expectation.

One if his lines was: "I don't think we're a great football side by any stretch of the imagination – we're miles away."

True, no-one is going to start labelling Wolves "the Arsenal of the Championship" as they did their favourite neighbours last season.

There is more than one way to skin the second tier and there can be no doubt Wolves have now established formidable credentials as automatic promotion pace-setters.

They have come through their first wobble of the campaign, which saw them concede five goals at Norwich during a three-defeats-in-four sequence.

Wolves found a way to beat Watford, Swansea and Cardiff without reproducing the fluency of the early weeks, before showing against Burnley that they are back into something like a full stride.

These constitute the nuts and bolts of a promotion charge which Wolves fans will now feel is back in robust health, especially with Michael Kightly shaking off some recent indifference with two goals typical of the energy and penetration he brings to the side.

Visiting manager Owen Coyle's complaints about referee Darren Deadman's decision-making exerting an unfair influence on the game in Wolves favour were, I'm afraid, an act of self-delusion.

Burnley registered only two efforts at goal to 16, from a home side which always had too much power, thanks to McCarthy putting together the strongest spine of the team in his two and a bit seasons in charge.

Which brings us to the player all Wolves fans will be talking about at the moment, Michael Mancienne.

On loan from Chelsea until the end of the year, they will already be praying Wolves can turn the agreement into a season-long affair, because the young England defender's second performance was even better than his first – and that won him man of the match at Cardiff.

Kevin Foley – surely now the most consistent Wolves full back since 'Mr 7/10' Denis Irwin patrolled the position – told us afterwards that McCarthy was calling the 20-year-old "Beckenbauer" after the Cardiff game.

It was a rare glimpse of the positive excitement the manager really holds for his team but keeps locked behind the dressing room doors.

He was exaggerating to make a point, perhaps, but Mancienne was utterly dominant. From the outset, he simply looked much too good an athlete and footballer to be troubled by this level of opponent.

Quick, strong and with that lovely knack of anticipating a threat before it has materialised, his partnership with Richard Stearman was mightily impressive.

One of the key factors in making Burnley look so toothless, while raising the bar on the quality of distribution out of defence.

If this is the level Mancienne intends maintaining, then we can expect Steve Morgan to be wining and dining Peter Kenyon when he's next in the 'Smoke in an effort to keep him until May.

Wolves promotion prospects can only be enhanced with Mancienne prowling their back-line. The rest of the spine is more familiar to Molineux.

Karl Henry is the Foley of the midfield, a player the manager can send out without needing to say a word about what is expected or required, which also applies to the line-leader that is Chris Iwelumo.

Not only does he continue to present a relentless threat in the air to defenders, Iwelumo can often be detected back amid the muck and nettles of his defence making equally vital clearances.

It's not pretty or particularly clever but in the thick of trying to fight a way out of the Championship, it is priceless.

The final constituent of this impressive Wolves backbone should not be forgotten. Carl Ikeme is growing in authority, amid the embarrassment of riches that is the club's goalkeeping department, offering no daylight whatsoever for Wayne Hennessey.

This game provided what is arguably a keeper's most testing challenge – long periods of inactivity interrupted by occasional challenges to concentration and technique.

Te way Ikeme smothered Burnley's first effort on target from Chris Eagles after 50 minutes was testament to both.

Wolves might have had the game pocketed by then but could only close out the first period with a one-goal lead, from a move triggered by another commendable figure in this season of high potential.

It may be Stephen Ward's fate to always be viewed a jack of all trades – not many players join as centre-forwards and end up at left back – but he continues to flourish in the position.

A terrific challenge dispossessed Wade Elliott and sprang Wolves forward with pace and purpose.

Kightly and Sylvan-Ebanks Blake were at the business end for Kightly to eventually clip his first goal over Brian Jensen.

For all Wolves domination, they had to wait until 15 minutes from the end to finish the job when the same two-players combined again, Kightly benefitting from a super cross from his partner.

The red card for a second booking on Clarke Carlisle five minutes later was a footnote, which clearly fuelled Coyle's complaints about the officiating but such is the roller-coaster of the Championship.

It is a roller-coaster Wolves fans continue to find exhilarating.