IF he can see, he'll play - that was the main team news from manager Malcolm Shotton over eye injury victim Paul Tait for United's Division 1 game at Wolves tomorrow.

Tait took a kick above his left eye from Chelsea's Celestine Babayaro during the second half of Wednesday night's FA Cup fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge, and he needed six stitches.

He then went off to an eye hospital in London where doctors gave him some drops because blood had got into the eye.

But Tait's main problem yesterday was that they eye had virtually closed up and he couldn't see out of it.

Shotton said. "He's in with a shout of playing on Saturday. He's brave enough, and so long as he can see out of it, he'll be OK."

It's a game that Tait, signed on a free from Birmingham, will be eager to play in. He turned down a loan move to Molineux earlier in the season, possibly recalling the rough time Wolves fans gave him three seasons back following one of his robust tackles.

Should Tait fail his eyesight test (what a shame Mike Reed didn't take one last week), his place could go to Matt Murphy - but that would require Kevin Francis to play up front and the big man probably isn't yet ready to start a match. Another option for Shotton would be to bring Christophe Remy or Joey Beauchamp into midfield.

With his good record against Wolves, Beauchamp may in any case be back in the side if Shotton decides the time is right.

He was impressive when coming on as a second-half substitute against Chelsea, and he could replace either Jamie Cook or Nicky Banger on either flank.

United have lost at Molineux for the last three seasons - 2-1, 3-1 and 1-0 - and this season, Wolves remain strong at home, having lost just one league game in 15 in front of their own fans.

Boss Colin Lee is set to make just one change from the side that won 2-1 at Stockport, with Steve Sedgley coming in for Neil Emblen who has a knee injury.

Steve Bull and Arian Williams are long-term injury victims. Neither has played since October.

Taking Bull's normal place in attack is Haavad Flo, cousin of Chelsea's Tore Andre. Signed for £700,000 from Werder Bremen, he has been capped 15 times by Norway and has scored one, and hit the inside of the woodwork twice, in his three Wolves games to date.

Former United winger Paul Simpson is likely to be on the bench.

Story date: Friday 05 February

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