Mick McCarthy on a 'must-win' game

Manager Mick McCarthy has admitted Wolves' clash against Sunderland on Saturday has become a 'must-win' game for him and the team.

Wolves go into their latest crunch match on the back of nine defeats in 11 games, which McCarthy admits has turned the spotlight on to his own position.

Although there are no signs as yet that the manager's job has come under threat, McCarthy believes victory is vital to keep the pressure off.

He said: "We've got to get a win on Saturday. We need points - there's no point looking at 'what if this happens or that happens'."

Asked whether he needed a victory to safeguard his own position, McCarthy would only state three points were vital for Wolves and for him.

He said: "I am part of the club - you can't separate it. The club needs a win and I'm managing the club, the team.

"We - collectively - need a victory. There's no point dressing it up. Points are what counts, that's my immediate concern.

"We're on nine points and we need more, starting by getting three on Saturday."

McCarthy insisted he doesn't feel any more pressure than usual.

He said: "I'll just keep on doing my job as well as I possibly can and hope we keep playing well.

"Performances haven't been a problem - from conceding early on Saturday, we went on to dominate.

"But it's results that count and getting beat after conceding in the third minute doesn't help.

"The goal was outrageous really."

McCarthy backed Kevin Foley to recover from the mistake that led to Luke Varney's wonder goal.

The manager said: "Kevin maybe could have done better to stop it, but when Varney hit it, you think 'that's not going anywhere' and then it dipped in. But Kev will be fine, there won't be any problem.

"Sometimes it happens - he got off to a bad start with the goal, and, having moved Michael Mancienne to counter that because they had targeted that area, it was always going to be difficult for Foley to recover."