Defiant boss Mick McCarthy today vowed Wolves’ current squad will lead the club to Premier League safety again this season.

Wolves dropped into the relegation zone for the first time in 2011-12 with Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Villa, increasing the pressure on McCarthy after two wins in 20 games.

But the Molineux chief has no doubts his players will guarantee a fourth successive top-flight season. “I still feel we’ll get out of it, with whatever we’ve got, and whatever we do, because I think we’ve got good players,” said the boss.

“They keep going and they will get us out of it. There’s nothing more that could have gone wrong against Villa.

“It has to turn because our lads work damned hard and they’re a great bunch.

“We just need to play like we did on Saturday, but not give a penalty away, not get one sent off and not get one carried off.”

McCarthy said his faith in his players remained undiminished, adding: “Absolutely. I’ve signed every one and there’s not one who would let me down intentionally.

“They’ve all got a great work ethic. I believe in the same group of players and getting the best out of them, and that’s what myself and Terry Connor will carry on doing.

“We might not have beaten Villa, but if we get the level of performance we did on Saturday, that’s all I can ask. We’ve got more chance of winning if we play like that.

“The way we played, not just against Villa, but against Arsenal, Bolton, Tottenham and Chelsea offers encouragement.”

And McCarthy shrugged off talk he is under mounting pressure.

“The biggest reason as to how I cope is that I don’t listen to the backdrop of what fans are saying,” he said.

“I do not go around in a glass cabinet – I am fully aware of what is going on.

“If you listen to it, you would go off your head anyway. But I cannot question the perfomances at all.

“I would not have done anything differently against Chelsea and Tottenham and I could not have done anything to make us any better.”

And he said would carry on with the same methods, adding: “I’m not going to change anything – I’ve not got a magic wand to suddenly make everything right.”

See also:

• Mick McCarthy: I will not listen to flak
• Wolves insist Mick McCarthy is in charge despite rumours
• Wolves 2 Aston Villa 3 – Match analysis