McCarthy: More Than 90 Minutes

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy is insistent that the Play-Off encounter against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow is more than just a one game affair.

The Baggies travel to Molineux to face deadly rivals Wolverhampton in the first of a two game encounter, the winner of the overall aggregate score will play the winners of Southampton and Derby County at Wembley. And, unlike the Champions League away goals rule does not come into play.

McCarthy said: ‘It is a challenge to keep things level at the moment, but that must be the same for the other three clubs involved in the play-offs.

‘We all know what is at stake – it does not need to be ‘bigged’ up.

‘But what does need to be bigged up is what we have achieved so far this season.

‘There are at least two difficult games in store for us now but we must stay true to the principles which have got us this far and after 46 games in the Championship, I see no reason to change things around now.

‘I am clear in the thinking we should treat Sunday’s match as just another game but you have to see the bigger picture and realise this is a tie to be played over two matches.

‘And if ever that needed to be underlined, we only need to hark back to the Preston-Leeds semi-final of last year.

‘I remember Preston drawing the first game and there were celebrations on the pitch like it was all over.

‘But then Leeds won in the second game and Preston were knocked out.

‘So the tactics will be the same as they have always been this season – to go out and try to win the first game and then go and try to win the second.

‘Trying to be clever and to do something different after having played well over the course of 46 games of the regular season would be a non-starter.

‘West Brom have finished fourth in the table and we have finished fifth but the only way we could be separated was by goal difference.

‘So our approach will not change.

‘But we will to be bearing in mind our tie does not finish until the final whistle at West Brom.

‘Whatever the outcome on Sunday afternoon, the semi-final will not be finished until Wednesday night.’