McCarthy all for Rooney absence

Boss dreading deadly striker as sides meet on Saturday

McCarthy: Test against the champions

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy admits he hopes not to come across in-form Wayne Rooney at Molineux on Saturday.

The Manchester United striker is a doubt ahead of the meeting between the two sides after playing 90 minutes in England's friendly with Egypt in midweek.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted he may be forced to rest his main man, despite his 23 Premier League goals so far this season helping them challenge for a fourth consecutive title.

McCarthy holds the 24-year-old in high regard and he admits his side would benefit from Rooney not being involved in the meeting.

"I would prefer him not to play and to be left at home in Manchester," admitted McCarthy.

"In my opinion he is brilliant. The goal that he scored recently against Arsenal epitomised him. He is world class. He is the complete player. I just love his attitude.

"He plays like he is playing in the school playground. He has matured and has got better and better and he is red hot at the moment."

Last time the two sides met, McCarthy infamously picked a weakened side at Old Trafford in a bid to avoid his first team suffering a confidence knock ahead of a 3-0 defeat.

Fined

McCarthy was later fined for the unsporting move, but he insists home advantage this time around means there will be no lying down.

"We will be going for it to try and win the game. Do United have one banana skin in a season? It may well be here.

"The fans don't come to see us lose whoever we play against. Only recently we drew with Liverpool, beat Tottenham and played very well against Chelsea when we should have got something from the game.

"We are capable of getting a result and we are looking forward to it. It is a daunting task with the position that we are in but we wanted to be in with the big boys and it is a big, exciting game for us.

"It is a big ask playing against Manchester United at any time but I feel we are in good shape and have been playing well.

"Anything we get out of this game we will have to work hard for. But we have to believe we can get something. We won't be negative.

"If we can keep playing as we have been then we will have more than enough chances of staying in this league."

McCarthy also admits his admiration for his opposite number Ferguson, but revealed the Scot's long list of honours is not the only reason people look up to him.

"Everyone respects Sir Alex for the trophies he has won but for me it goes a bit deeper than that," revealed McCarthy.

"He also looks after young managers and I remember that when I was starting out at Millwall I got the best wishes from Sir Alex.

"He has got a lot of time for managers who are starting out and to still have the desire he has is something else."