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Changes needed for Wolves Wolves boss Mick McCarthy may have to shuffle his pack for Monday's home clash with Manchester City because of the demands of playing with 10 men at Anfield on Boxing Day.

McCarthy will definitely be without defender Stephen Ward, who was sent off in that 2-0 defeat by Liverpool, with McCarthy needing now to assess the rest of his squad following the extra physical demands at Anfield.

Wolves will still have Michael Kightly, David Edwards and Andy Keogh out with ankle injuries.

Wolves face a second tough assignment in three days with McCarthy adamant they have now proved they are no pushovers.

McCarthy witnessed his 10 men make Liverpool fight all the way for their 2-0 victory - a result which left Wolves with three wins and two defeats from their last five Barclays Premier League games.

Steering Wolves to five wins and four draws in their opening 19 games has given McCarthy some satisfaction, even if they are still too near the drop zone for comfort.

"I am happy with our performances so far," he said.

"We are at the halfway stage and we have 19 points - I would have taken that at the beginning of the season.

"And recently, in particular, we have done well.

"It sends out the message to everybody that we are not walkovers in this division.

"We have had some luck, picked up wins and the lads have stuck together. We needed to change a few things and we have done that.

"But in the end it is wins that change situations and perceptions and we have to believe we can do the same against Manchester City." McCarthy hopes his players can recover quickly from the extra exertion required due to their numerical disadvantage at Anfield.

He said: "We played well, I am proud of them. Liverpool did not make many chances. But at 10 men the game is finished.

"There will be some tired legs now as we prepare to face Manchester City. Ten men against Liverpool at Anfield means a lot more effort from everybody.

"Matt Jarvis was running on empty and Kevin Foley was too - they all put more than a shift in.

"I will have to look at them all to see who can play against City." Craig Bellamy is set to start his first game under Roberto Mancini as City bid for a third straight win.

Bellamy was introduced off the bench in the victory over Stoke on Boxing Day but, having impressed in his cameo appearance, should keep his place.

Shaun Wright-Phillips has an outside chance of recovering from an ankle injury but Roque Santa Cruz, Benjani and Emmanuel Adebayor, who is leaving for African Nations Cup duty with Togo, are all out.

City winger Martin Petrov is shedding no tears at the controversial departure of Mark Hughes.

Petrov netted for the fourth time this season against Stoke at the end of a turbulent week, the result helped restore a sense of normality to the Blues camp, as well as giving new boss Mancini the perfect start to his tenure.

Indeed, chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak and chief executive Garry Cook must have seen the warm greeting Craig Bellamy gave his new manager at the final whistle and, with the City fans getting behind Mancini from his pre-match entrance, it seemed very much like business as usual.

Out of deference to Mancini, Petrov has no wish to start another argument just yet - but he is not happy.

"Now is not the time to talk about my situation," said the Bulgarian.

"But too many things have happened to me over the last six months and come the time, at some point in the future, I will tell you 100%.

"It would not be good for the new manager if I did it now. But what the old one did with me was not fair.

Wolverhampton vs Man City

Last modified 14:12 08/01/10

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Craig Bellamy dazzled new Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini with a classy display as the Italian’s decision to drop Robinho paid off.

New City manager Mancini left mercurial Brazilian Robinho, who cost a record £32million, on the bench until the closing minutes at promoted Wolves.

And it was Robinho’s replacement Bellamy who turned in an inspirational display to help City to a second successive win under Mancini.

The shut-out was also a second straight clean sheet for City’s new Italian boss after a 2-0 win over Stoke.

Recalled Bellamy helped lay on Carlos Tevez’s opener with a brilliant turn and cross from the left flank in the 33rd minute.

And Bellamy might have scored himself as he twice failed to hit the target when well-placed.

But sub Javier Garrido scored his first goal of the season with a superb free-kick in the 69th minute to make it 2-0.

And Robinho’s pass a minute after coming on teed up Tevez to score his second of the night four minutes from time.

Mancini admits he was very impressed with firebrand Bellamy after controversially dropping City’s in-form star for the Stoke game.

“I think Craig is a strong character and is a good player and a good man,” said Mancini.

“For me it is good he stays with us.

“I played for 20 years and I know very well the big players.

“If the player has technical quality and is a good character this is most important for the team.”

City’s problems at the back arguably cost Mark Hughes his job but they appear to have been solved for now following a second successive clean sheet.

Despite Wolves starting brightly, the visitors rarely looked in serious trouble on a bitterly cold night at Molineux.

City’s loyal fans, who chose not to watch the game at home on TV, were well rewarded by another encouraging and entertaining display.

And Mancini illustrated his tactical nous by subtly moving Bellamy infield from his starting position on the left flank.

“I thought if I put Craig nearer Carlos it was better and after 15 minutes of play we did very well,” added Mancini.

But the Italian was arguably more pleased with a second successive shut-out after inheriting a leaky defence.

He said: “It is most important you must have a balance and concentration.

“We worked with the defence only for four days but now it is better because we haven’t concede a goal.”

City’s Welsh international Bellamy quickly showed why he has been the club’s best player this term as he often harried Wolves players into losing possession.

And when Bellamy got the ball, more often than not he used it intelligently.

But the striker, who has seven goals this season, was guilty of a bad miss in the 30th minute.

Martin Petrov began the move with an excellent cross from the left which Tevez returned across goal.

But Bellamy, 30, missed a volley at the first attempt and then put a right foot shot over from six yards when the ball broke to his feet.

Bellamy’s howler prompted Wolves fans to chant 'there is only one Kevin Muscat’ about their former defender who once seriously injured the ace when he played for Norwich.

Yet the ex-Canaries striker soon silenced his critics as his cross from the left was steered in by Tevez with the help of a deflection off Christophe Berra to make it 1-0 in the 33rd minute.

Wolves were forced into a change at the interval as Berra was unable to continue after falling awkwardly on his neck.

And Man City continued to look the more dangerous when Bellamy should have scored within minutes of the re-start.

Petrov put the striker clean through but Bellamy’s right-foot shot rolled agonisingly wide in the 48th minute.

But the visitors grew in confidence as the contest progressed and sub Garrido scored a superb left-foot free-kick from 30 yards to double their advantage.

And Tevez, who might have had a hat-trick, netted his 12th of the season and his second of the night with a good finish from Robinho’s pass late on.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy said: “We played well tonight and we need to keep our chins up.

“We need to pick up points from the teams we are expected to take points off - not the top six.”