Davies hands baton to Elmander and Klasnic

The Whites skipper is suspended for Saturday’s crunch clash against Wolves after picking up his fifth booking of the season in the 1-1 draw at Fulham. And while he is disappointed at being consigned to the sidelines, Davies believes his fellow strikers are more than capable of completing the job.

“It’s a shame I will miss the game because it is a big one,” he said. “But there are people waiting to step in.

“It’s a big squad and people are champing at the bit to play, as we’ve heard in the press all last week, people knocking on the door. So it’s up to them to step in and prove their worth.”

Klasnic furthered his cause for a place in the starting line-up with a clinical finish at Craven Cottage.

And Davies has been impressed with the Croatia international’s eye for goal since his arrival at the Reebok on loan from French club, Nantes.

“You can see in training that he’s pretty sharp in those situations,” he said. “His touch and spin for the goal against Fulham was great.

“He’s pretty deadly in and around the box and a good finisher.”

Gary Megson also talked up Klasnic’s penalty area prowess — but says the 29-year-old still has work to do in other areas of his game.

“I’m pleased with him, he’s got great ability and he’s as good a finisher as you’ll find,” the manager said.

“One of the things that we need from Ivan is a little bit more when we have got the ball, certainly when we are playing in that shape, because that was why we came under so much pressure. We couldn’t keep hold of the ball in their half because we didn’t keep hold of the first pass, and didn’t make options for the players that were doing the defending for us to get out.

“Ivan, Johan, Davo — whoever plays up there — has got to give us that.

Elmander will be hoping Davies’s absence will hand him a chance to make only his sixth start of the season.

The club record signing was dropped after the derby defeat by Blackburn, but has scored in two of his last five appearances.