Defender Steven Mouyokolo is struggling with a back injury and is rated as 50/50 for the match but McCarthy is hopeful that Kevin Foley, who injured his knee in training, and Steven Fletcher, who has a virus, will be fit to play.
Wolves will be without captain Karl Henry for two months after he suffered a knee injury during the team's defeat at Blackpool.
Dave Edwards is also out with a thigh complaint. Christophe Berra is suspended, but Ronald Zubar comes back into the squad after recovering from an ankle injury.
And McCarthy believes that extensive injury list, coupled with a run of poor results, means he is experiencing his most difficult spell since he took over as Wolves manager in 2006.
Wolves have only won one league match since the opening day of the season, and have lost their last four games, a sequence that has seen them slip to 19th place in the Barclays Premier League, five points behind Wigan in 18th.
"It is the toughest," he said. "We had a really tough spell when we lost to Birmingham last year, but we came out of it and got three wins out of four.
"I guess that's what we're looking for again, we've got to find that from somewhere.
"Our performances have been better than they were last year, and we look a better team now.
"But the results have been worse."
But despite this doom and gloom, McCarthy insists he is not feeling any pressure.
He added: "I'm enjoying doing the job, although I don't enjoy it when we get beaten.
"I'm still smiling."
As for his team's injury woes, McCarthy joked: "We've got one of the cleaners in the squad and we've got a chef in as well the way things are going.
"It's been a ridiculous run of injuries having already lost Karl Henry, Kevin Foley opened his knee up in the week, Steven Fletcher's been off poorly and Dave Edwards is still missing.
"Apart from that, everything's great. All rosy in the garden."
Sunderland have problems of their own and will begin a lengthy spell without defenders Titus Bramble and Michael Turner.
Bramble underwent surgery on a damaged knee cartilage on Thursday and is facing at least six weeks on the sidelines, wile Turner could be out for three months with a knee ligament injury.
John Mensah is set to partner Anton Ferdinand in central defence despite still recovering from a dislocated shoulder, while striker Asamoah Gyan has returned to training after missing Monday night's 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw with Everton because of a thigh strain.
David Meyler (knee) is working his way back towards full match fitness, but Fraizer Campbell (also knee) is still out
Ferdinand has set his sights on a top-seven finish - as long as the Black Cats can avoid another mid-season slump.
Steve Bruce's men have put together a four-game unbeaten Barclays Premier League run since their horrific derby day capitulation at Newcastle on October 31 to establish themselves in seventh place in the table.
Victory over Stoke and draws against Tottenham on the road and Everton at the Stadium of Light have been creditable enough, but it was a stunning 3-0 victory at champions Chelsea which went much of the way to restoring the confidence which had taken such a battering at St James' Park.
The Black Cats head for Wolves having already played all of last season's top 10 and lost to none of them, although equally aware that it was after a fine 1-0 home win over Arsenal on November 21 last year that they embarked upon a 14-game winless run which ultimately cost them a place in the top 10 at the end of the campaign.
Ferdinand said: "You can see in the confidence of the lads when we step out on to the pitch that we are not afraid to play against anyone.
"That showed against Chelsea and again against Everton.
"We can look higher than just finishing in the top 10, but we need to take each game as it comes, make sure we keep playing well and keep playing the way we have done.
"Hopefully we won't get a patch like we did last season. If we don't get that, then we are more than capable of finishing anywhere within the top seven."
Source: DSG
