Patience is crucial for fringe men

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has warned his fringe players to expect to stay on the sidelines after the Coca-Cola Championship leaders' flying start to the season.McCarthy's team are three points clear at the top of the table after six wins and a draw, scoring 21 goals in the process.

Wolves continue their promotion push with a home match against last season's Championship play-off finalists Bristol City tomorrow lunchtime and there are likely to be few surprises in McCarthy's line-up.

"Jason Shackell has been great in training - he looks really hungry, but he knows he won't get in the team at the moment," he said.

"He's out of the team because we've got a fit team doing well and a back four playing well - it's not like he's been dropped or left out, he just can't get in.

"That's the same for Dave Edwards, Andy Keogh and Sam Vokes. Darren Ward trains brilliantly but he can't get in, and neither can Mickey Gray.

"For me that's fantastic and long may it continue."

McCarthy will have to make one change with striker Chris Iwelumo starting a three-match ban after his sending-off in the 3-1 victory over Preston.

Bristol City boss Gary Johnson today refuted any suggestion that he and his players would settle for a point from the 12.30pm kick-off.

Johnson insists that his fifth-placed Robins will attempt to take the game to Wolves.

"If you offered me a point right now, I wouldn't take it," declared Johnson."I've never done that and I'm not going to now. We go into every game trying to win it and Wolves away is no different. "Wolves are flying high at the moment and are scoring lots of goals. But unbeaten records are there to be ended and we've gone to top-of-the-table sides before and beaten them."

By Sean Wozencroft