Wolves boss Mick McCarthy today insisted Kevin Doyle is fully fit for Saturday’s Old Trafford showdown and backed his hitman to start firing again.

Doyle has only scored twice for Wolves in 13 Premier League games this season and missed the 3-0 defeat at Chelsea with a knee injury.

The £6.5m striker returned for Sunday’s vital 2-1 win over the Black Cats and came off in the 66th minute to be replaced by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake – seven minutes before Steven Fletcher equalised.

But McCarthy believes Doyle doesn’t get the praise he deserves, while stressing the Ireland international is over his knee injury and that the recent niggle was nothing to do with the medial ligament damage sustained in March.

“Doyle is OK – he’s great,” said the boss.

“He had that niggly knee injury and then a hamstring problem the other week, but he’s fine. His work is noticed and appreciated by us.

“Doyle had done his work – he’d put a right shift in fighting his corner and running the channels, and it’s always the one who comes on that seems to get the glory.

“I think that weakened Sunderland and then somebody else came on and did alright.

“They should be able to run around for 20 minutes and not need a pat on the back for doing so. They need to run around for 90 minutes.”

McCarthy isn’t too concerned at Doyle’s lack of goals and said the striker is pleased to be contributing, ahead of the weekend clash with Manchester United.

“Fletcher scored the goals and Doyle wants to get in among the goals, but he was still as delighted as anyone else because he’s part of it.”