'Wolves tie is too close to call'

Carlos Carvalhal reckons Swansea City will face a Premier League team-in-waiting when they take on Wolves in the Emirates FA Cup tomorrow.

The Swans take a break from top-flight action at Molineux – but Carvalhal feels they are facing opponents who are built for the highest level.

Wolves are a whopping 12 points clear at the summit of the Championship and already look like shoo-ins to win promotion this spring.

Carvalhal expects Wolves to go up – but insists the Swans can halt the Black Country club’s 12-game unbeaten run this weekend.

“I think this game will be 50-50, like when any team from the Premier League goes to a team in the Championship,” said the Swans manager.

“I think the tempo is higher in the Championship. The players run more from what I have seen and they make all the games very difficult for teams from the Premier League.

“This will be difficult for us because Wolves win most of their games, but we go there to play face to face.

“I don’t think it will be a big surprise if we win and I don’t think it will be a big surprise if they win. It’s a balanced game.

“We will make changes for the game. I don’t think Wolves will change much and they will try to win the game.

“But we are preparing a team to be competitive and we will fight to get to the next round.”

Carvalhal faced Wolves only last month, when his Sheffield Wednesday team were beaten 1-0 at Hillsborough.

And he reckons Nuno Espirito Santo’s side boast enough quality to thrive in the top tier.

“Wolves are not a typical club from the Championship,” he added.

“For three years I worked in the Championship and they are the best team I saw.

“Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Willy Boly and Helder Costa – they are players who played often in Portugal.

“These players do not belong to the Championship. They will be promoted this season and in the Premier League, with this team, I think they would be in the middle of the table.”