Wolves boss Dean Saunders wants 'damage'

Saunders' side return to Molineux for the crunch game which could have a massive bearing on the Championship relegation race with the manager insisting Wolves can build on Saturday's spirited 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Only goal difference is keeping fourth-bottom Wolves out of the drop zone – they are two better off than the Robins – with nine games left.

Second-bottom Peterborough have their game in hand at Leeds tomorrow while basement side Barnsley play the first of two at home to Brighton tomorrow. Both rivals have a point fewer than Wolves.

Wolves lost the chance to build on Tuesday's 2-0 win at Millwall when they went down to Henri Lansbury's superbly-struck double in between Matt Doherty's equalising first Wolves goal before Stephen Ward was sent off and Lewis McGugan added an unflattering third as Forest made it five straight wins.

But Saunders believes his side can take a big stride towards safety if they show the same battling qualities as at the City Ground.

"We can still stay up, and we have to take some spirit from the performance on Saturday," said the boss.

"We're not in the relegation zone and have to go into the Bristol City game thinking we can do them some damage."

He added: "I'm sure we can take some positives from Saturday's game. For long periods we were probably the better team.

"We could have drew or won, but there are fine margins, and we have got to make sure we're up and ready for Bristol City."

Saturday's defeat was Wolves' heaviest under Saunders but the manager is convinced they were hard done by.

"The scoreline didn't reflect the game – we just didn't take our chances," he said.

Ward misses this Saturday's game through suspension and Saunders had no complaints after the left-back hauled back former team-mate Greg Halford when he was left last man as Forest charged forward from a Wolves corner.

"It was a definite red card," he said. "Wardy was left three on one."