Source: Team_Talk
McCarthy: City title bid unrealistic
McCarthy's team tackle City on Saturday and he is relishing the chance to lock horns with the Premier League's new big spenders.
But, in terms of mounting a title challenge, McCarthy feels that will still come down to the traditional big four of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
McCarthy said: "I don't think that expecting them to win the league when they have just bought a team is realistic.
"They might make a push for it. But I just don't think it is realistic to expect them to win the league when others have got a settled team."
City's big spending has raised the bar for their rivals in terms of the money they are willing to pay for new players.
But McCarthy does not think it is a bad thing - although he admits it has led to other clubs facing the prospect of paying higher prices.
McCarthy, a former Manchester City defender, added: "I can't see it being bad for the game.
"We are in the entertainment business when all is said and done and it is entertaining if nothing else.
"Quite clearly they have got a better squad of players than I have got.
"But Mark Hughes' job is no harder than mine. He has a place where he is expected to finish and I have a place where I am expected to finish.
"Mine is 17th and up and theirs is sixth and up. I have got the players to finish 17th and up, he has got the players to finish sixth and up so why does it make his job any harder than mine? It doesn't. Not at all."
Having lost their opening game of the season 2-0 to West Ham, Wolves got their season up and running on Tuesday when Andy Keogh's header earned them a 1-0 win at Wigan.
But McCarthy accepts his team will have to move up another level to tackle City - although he has taken heart from Burnley's shock victory against Manchester United.
"I have just looked down the City team and all you can say is 'flipping heck.'
"This is the real thing now and it is fantastic.
We are playing against a better team and better players.
"But Burnley beating Manchester United has given us all hope. Birmingham only lost 1-0 at Old Trafford last weekend and could have equalised in the last minute.
"My players will learn how to play in the Premier League and they will get more comfortable with it.
But we all know what a great game and test this will be for us."
McCarthy is boosted by the return to the squad of striker Kevin Doyle and central defender Christophe Berra after they missed the opening two games of the season with groin and hamstring problems respectively.
Man. City 1/3, Draw 4/1, Wolves 8/1
