Confident Wolves relish home tests

Mick McCarthy believes Wolves' flying start to the season has given his side more belief - and injected "trepidation" into the opposition coming to Molineux. Mick McCarthy believes Wolves' flying start to the season has given his side more belief - and injected "trepidation" into the opposition coming to Molineux. Unbeaten Wolves go into tonight's clash against Crystal Palace top of the Championship with four wins from five, having rattled in 16 goals. At home, Wolves have scored for fun against Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest. "I think the fact we've had a good start and are top of the league gives us more confidence and belief in ourselves," said boss McCarthy. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star See also - Wolves boss backing Vokes to flourish

Mick McCarthy believes Wolves' flying start to the season has given his side more belief - and injected "trepidation" into the opposition coming to Molineux.Unbeaten Wolves go into tonight's clash against Crystal Palace top of the Championship with four wins from five, having rattled in 16 goals.

At home, Wolves have scored for fun against Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.

"I think the fact we've had a good start and are top of the league gives us more confidence and belief in ourselves," said boss McCarthy.

"We've won 4-1 and 5-1 in our home games. It will mean more to teams if they come and beat us after that.

"But as they come down the motorway to play us, they might just be coming with a bit more trepidation than they would have done beforehand.

"Everyone knows teams come here and want to keep us quiet for 20 minutes because they think the crowd will get restless and the place will turn.

"You know what? I'll be saying that when we go to Derby or Birmingham - and it's true."

McCarthy believes Wolves have altered the mindset of opposition managers, who he thinks will react with more caution.

"Can they make us nervous? I guess last season they might thought they had a better chance," he added.

"Maybe those who have watched us this season might think 'we'd better keep them quiet for 60 minutes and then they might get nervous'.

"Maybe we've put another thought in people's heads coming to our place."

Wolves' current run is their equal best start to a season since 1962-63, when they had similar results but had scored 18 goals and conceded four. Stan Cullis's side went on to finish fifth.

But McCarthy has his feet planted firmly on the ground. "I'm sure with fans there's a feelgood factor but I think we have to be a bit more pragmatic than that.

"I'm not smiling as if I've swallowed a coathanger because we've had a couple of good results, the same as it doesn't become all 'sack cloth and ashes' and doom and gloom when you have a couple of bad ones.

"I'm conscious of that all the time - even after Saturday's game, it was a case of 'let's move on, we've got Tuesday coming up'.

"That's the way we have to approach it."