Ward´s Wolves braced for Liverpool test

Stephen Ward has called on his Wolverhampton Wanderers team-mates to embrace the pressure of taking on Liverpool at Molineux on Tuesday.

Wolves have struggled for victories this season and, following a disappointing 3-2 reverse against Aston Villa last time out, have fallen into the bottom three in the English Premier League.

But Ward, who scored the winner when Wolves won at Anfield last season, says the players are accustomed to being in such a situation and need to come out fighting once more.

“The lads are used to dealing in pressure situations and knowing how important games are,” Ward told the club’s official website.

“We had plenty of games like this last season. It’s just important we turn performances into points.”

“I know we can say that things have gone against us but in some ways it just seems that if it is not one thing it is another.”

“Every game then becomes even more pressure – it has been that way all season now.”

“We have played well at times and just not got the reward for our performances, which was definitely the case against Villa last weekend and it now puts more emphasis on this game.”

Ward was also keen to stress his backing for manager Mick McCarthy, who has come under fire from a section of the Wolves support for a large part of the season.

“We are all in it together and the manager is in it with us,” Ward said.

“We know every morning that when we turn up for work and the gaffer is here he puts a smile on our faces and gets us ready for the next game as best he can – like he always has done.”

“There are always going to be rumours when a team is down near the bottom, of managers and players coming in and out.”

“A lot of people need to know that we are in this Premier League and a lot of that is down to the gaffer.”

“He took on Wolves when we were at a real low. Within two or three years he had us fighting for promotion and then winning the league.”

“We are well capable of getting out of it and we have shown before that we can get through tough times like this.”

“And with the gaffer at the helm there is no reason why we can’t do it again.”