Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy is in typically bullish mood as his side face the toughest possible series of fixtures over the next 20 days.

They take on the EPL’s so-called “big four” teams – and the EPL’s current top four - in consecutive matches, starting with this Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.

Then there’s a Carling Cup visit to Manchester United, Manchester City’s visit to Molineux, the EPL visit to Old Trafford, before hosting Arsenal on November 10^th.

 

McCarthy’s side ended a run of four straight defeats with last Saturday’s home draw against bottom side West Ham. But he claimed: “There isn’t as much pressure on (the Chelsea) game as there was in the West Ham one.”

And he added: “Chelsea are the best team in the league and can be pretty awesome so we’ve got to go there and be ready for it”.

McCarthy also claimed that while any points from the four games would be a “bonus”, Wolves could have taken something from the big four last season.

He said: “Against Arsenal away and Chelsea and Manchester United at home, we definitely should have got something. We definitely improved against the bigger teams as the season went on.”

For the trip to Stamford Bridge, Wolves will be without suspended captain Karl Henry and on-loan midfielder Michael Mancienne, who is ineligible as Chelsea are his parent club.

Nineteen year-old midfielder David Davis has been recalled from his loan spell at League One Walsall to take his place in the squad.