Wolves v Sunderland

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Wolverhampton Wanderers host Sunderland at Molineux, as Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane meet for the time as club managers.

Both Keane and McCarthy made clear this week that their highly-publicised fall-out prior to the 2002 World Cup is behind them, as they prepare for Friday evening's contest that you can see live on Sky Sports 1.

Keane left the Republic of Ireland squad before the finals in Korea and Japan after an infamous bust-up with McCarthy, prompting the former Manchester United captain to retire from international football.

Keane returned briefly to the Ireland squad after McCarthy had moved on to eventually become manager of Sunderland.

In a strange twist of fate, Keane formally succeeded McCarthy as Black Cats boss earlier this season when former international team-mate and current Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn appointed him in late August.

For McCarthy, Friday's game not only sees a reunion with Keane, but also the club that sacked him back in March of this year.

Despite all the publicity regarding both men, Friday's game is a chance for both clubs to get upwardly mobile in the Championship table.

A win for Wolves would take the Black County outfit into the play-off places, while Sunderland could move to within three points of the top six with victory.

McCarthy will hope to have defender Rob Edwards available, as he aims to recover from a dead leg.

Jamie Clapham (groin) should return in place of the injured Charlie Mulgrew, who picked up a serious ankle injury.

Hungarian midfielder Denes Rosa, however, will miss out again with a hamstring injury, while Carl Cort is out for three months with a knee injury.

McCarthy was able to boost his squad before Thursday's Football League loan deadline when he snapped up Barnsley winger Michael McIndoe.

Meanwhile, Keane may have to do without midfielder Grant Leadbitter (groin) and Daryl Murphy (pelvic injury).

Summer signing Graham Kavanagh will replace Leadbitter, if he is unable to start for the visitors.

Kenny Cunningham (knee) and Stephen Wright (ankle) both remain sidelined for the Wearsiders, but defender Nyron Nosworthy is hoping to shake off an abdominal strain.

Goalkeeper Ben Alnwick's shoulder injury prompted Keane to sign Tottenham Hotspur custodian Marton Fulop on loan on Thursday, though he is not available for Friday's trip to Wolves.

Source: http://home.skysports.com

[kennethlindheim]

Mick McCarthy's Wolves were held to a 1-1 draw by Roy Keane's Sunderland in the first meeting between the pair as managers.

Stephen Elliott's late strike cancelled out Jemal Johnson's spectacular first half opener to ensure honours were shared between McCarthy and Keane's troops.

Before the kick-off the two men made a very public handshake to show that the animosity between the pair following their infamous World Cup bust-up was over.

Sunderland created the first chance of the game on seven minutes when Wolves failed to clear their lines and the ball dropped to Grant Leadbitter who saw his attempted chip brilliantly saved by Matt Murray.

Jody Craddock went close to scoring against his old club on 26 minutes when he got on the end of Lewis Gobern's free kick and powered in a header which Darren Ward did well to keep out.

Wolves midfielder Karl Henry tried his luck from long-range on the half hour when he flashed his shot just over the crossbar.

David Connolly wasted a great opening for Sunderland on 33 minutes when he missed his kick right in front of goal after a clever flick by Dean Whitehead.

Wolves came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the break when Craddock superbly volleyed Gobern's corner goalwards which Ward could not hold and he was relieved to see Whitehead on hand to clear the ball off the line.

The home side made the breakthrough a minute before half time with a brilliant strike from Johnson.

Johnson picked up a header from Jay Bothroyd 30 yards from goal and unleashed a superb shot into the top corner of Ward's goal.

Johnson missed a great chance to score his second goal of the night two minutes after the break when he stabbed wide from six yards out.
Gobern went close for Wolves on 53 minutes when he poked wide from the edge of the area after a fine sole run from midfield.

Ward came to Sunderland's rescue on the hour mark when he produced a fine save to keep out Bothroyd's powerful shot.

Sunderland substitute Tobias Hysen almost scored on 73 minutes when he latched onto Wallace's pass inside the box, but Murray was quickly off his line to smother the Swede's shot.

Wolves really should have doubled their lead a minute later when Johnson slipped Gobern in down the right and he picked out substitute Leon Clarke unmarked six yards from goal, but the striker somehow saw his close-range shot saved by Ward.

Sunderland went close to scoring on 79 minutes when Elliott saw his shot turned round for a corner by Murray.

From the resulting corner Sunderland drew level when substitute Graham Kavanagh saw his header saved by Murray, but when the ball came back in from Leadbitter it dropped nicely inside the box to Elliott who saw his shot deflect off Mark Little and into the net.

Sunderland almost won it in the last minute when Leadbitter fired in a free kick from the edge of the area which Murray had to turn round his post.

The two managers embraced each other at the final whistle in what was an entertaining affair at Molineux.

http://home.skysports.com/matchrepor...ID=10&channel=