EL-HADJI Diouf still has his sights on a Champions League place. The Senegal striker stubbornly refuses to accept that the best Wanderers can hope for this season is a UEFA spot, and is confident that two wins over Easter will put them back on course for a top four finish.

"We still want to catch Liverpool or Arsenal," Diouf said.

"We have seven games to go and I think that, if we win the next two, we will have a chance to catch one of them."

Saturday's 1-0 victory over Sheffield United - a result that left the Blades just one point above the relegation zone - has raised hopes at the Reebok that, despite a recent demoralising run, the Whites can finish the season on a high.

The consensus is that they have left themselves too much to do - they are seven points behind Liverpool and five behind Arsenal - to get back into the Champions League running.

Sam Allardyce and the majority of his players believe the only realistic target is the UEFA Cup.

But Diouf will not give up the ghost. Encouraged by Saturday's result, which ended a three-match losing streak and finally took Wanderers onto 50 points, he reckons five more wins would secure a place in Europe's premier competition.

He admits that his hopes will be dashed if Wanderers fail to take maximum points from Saturday's derby at Wigan and next Monday's Reebok clash with close rivals Everton, and accepts that the game at Arsenal on Saturday week could be decisive.

But he says the challenge is there to be met.

"We are not far off the Champions League now," Diouf said optimistically.

"Arsenal lost on Saturday (4-1 at Liverpool) and that was good for us.

"The most important thing for us to think about now is catching Arsenal and Liverpool.

"We played in the UEFA Cup last season and now I think the people are dreaming about the Champions League and we are dreaming about the Champions League.

"We want to finish fourth, not fifth.

He added: "The Wigan game is now the biggest game of the season. If we can win that game win against Everton, I think we will catch one of the big teams.

"Of course, we also have a big game against Arsenal but, if Arsenal lose another game before we go there . . . who knows?

"We just have to play game after game. We have to want to win all seven games but, if we win four or five more, I think we will have the Champions League next season."

Skipper, Kevin Nolan, will be suspended for the two Easter games after picking up his tenth booking of the season on Saturday.

With Ivan Campo also serving the second of his two-match suspension, Sam Allardyce will be missing two of his midfield regulars at Wigan.