Dave Edwards warns Wolves that Gillingham will seek revenge
Dave Edwards has warned Wolves their opponents Gillingham will be sniffing revenge tonight.
Wolves are every team's cup final in League One this season, but the Wales international believes the Gills' 4-0 spanking at Molineux in August will provide an extra layer of determination to crack Kenny Jackett's side at Priestfield this evening.
The Molineux men have never enjoyed such a thoroughly convincing victory, or easy three points, since that opening home game.
Even though there has been a change of manager at Gillingham, with Peter Taylor replacing the charismatic Martin Allen, Edwards knows the Kent-based outfit will be out to ensure there is no repeat of their Molineux humiliation in front of their own fans and the watching millions on Sky.
"It was probably our most dominant performance of the season and I'm sure now that even though they have a different manager and they will play with different tactics, the players who are still there will be out to put it right," said the 27-year-old midfielder.
"With the Sky cameras being there, it gives them the incentive.
"Playing at their place it will be hostile and we've just got to match them.
"That's the biggest thing: if we can go to places and match the intensity and desire of the home team, our quality should show."
The phrase 'everyone's cup final' was coined by head coach Jackett in the summer to warn Wolves players of the hostile reception they would face at every away ground as the big boys in League One.
And Edwards revealed it's one the players are constantly reminded of, just to guard against any complacency.
"The gaffer goes on and on and about it, and he won't allow us to forget it – we're the biggest game for the opposition," he said.
"Last Sunday at Molineux, you saw the atmosphere and that was a big game for us against Leyton Orient, but we played really well, especially in the first half.
"But it's like that for every team every week when they play us at their place.
"If we can match them then we're halfway there, because I believe we've got the quality over the other teams.
"That should shine through, but we can't go on the pitch being half-hearted and thinking we've just got to turn up to win.
"We have got to play ugly and win ugly, and hopefully we'll do that."
Six players are set to miss the trip to Kent, Wolves' fourth game in eight days.
James Henry, Jack Price, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Matt Doherty and Liam McAlinden are all out injured. Richard Stearman is suspended after his sending off at Tranmere.
But with the biggest squad in the third tier, and the financial muscle to improve it this month courtesy of the £16m parachute payments, sympathy is understandably thin on the ground for Wolves from their rivals.
Edwards believes this is where the depth of Wolves' squad should shine through, even though Gillingham have the advantage of extra rest after their game at Stevenage on Wednesday was postponed.
He said: "Everyone was concerned about playing Wednesday and Friday but we thought it was a good thing because Gillingham were due to play on Wednesday and you think we've got the bigger squad to cope with it.
"With them not playing, it probably puts them in a slightly better position so they'll be fresh and up for it. But we've got quality throughout the squad, we've got a lot of players to choose from and we all train well, so I'm sure whoever the gaffer picks will be up for it, recovered and ready to go."