Mick McCarthy has good cause to dislike Preston North End, after the way Paul Simpson's men inflicted his first defeat as Wolves manager in August.

That was a night when Wolves were playing their third game in six days and McCarthy had to admit that his patched-up team were running on empty.

And not even the presence of a fit-again Matt Murray, beaten twice by goals from David Nugent, could save his side from a 3-1 defeat.

But when the two teams lock horns at Deepdale tomorrow, Wolves will be looking to avenge that defeat with a much altered outlook.

Not only have there been many changes of personnel over the last six months at Molineux, but there is a new confidence running through the team. And in former England Under-21 international Murray, who will be up against the much-coveted current England Under-21 hotshot Nugent, they have the best last line of defence outside the Premiership.

McCarthy admits he has almost run out of superlatives to express his gratitude as to how well his goalkeeper has done this season.

But, in a week when Leamington-born Ben Foster kept goal for his country, the Wolves boss knows that there is another Midlander, born not far away in Solihull and raised in Lichfield, who would be knocking on the door if only he was producing his current form on a bigger stage.

"If players are playing in the Premier League week in week out, it's only right and proper that they get first shout," said McCarthy. "Matt wants to play in the top flight and he wants that to be with us but he first has to get his opportunity in the Premiership to fulfil this huge potential he has.

"We've had a few consistent performers this season, men like Gary Breen and Jody Craddock, who were the real constants in the team before Christmas. Then there's Seyi Olofinjana and Karl Henry.

"But Matt's played all the games and, although he felt that he'd not been as dominant for a few games, he answered his own thoughts when he was so brilliant at Norwich last week.

"As the opinion of someone who works with him every day, looking at all the English keepers, Matt is one of the best.

"He is very professional in the way he prepares and he works very hard, to the point where we've had to tell him that the best thing to do is not the extra ten minutes at the end of training, but take his foot off the pedal and give himself a break."

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