HENRIK Pedersen is winging his way to a new Reebok contract.

The free-scoring Wanderer has made a flying start to the season with five goals in just six starts, prompting Sam Allardyce to confirm that he plans to reward him with a fresh deal.

But first, Pedersen will have to show that he can hit the heights on a consistent basis.

"We'll probably address the contract thing about Christmas time," the Wanderers boss said. "Henrik's done this before, spasmodically, during the season, but this time he's done it at the start ... now his challenge is to continue and not to dip away like he has in the past.

"He needs to emerge as a sustained threat.

"I think new contracts can gee players up. Some respond well, others sit on their backsides and need a kick. You're constantly reviewing your players' Premiership profile."

Pedersen is tipped to return to the starting line-up against Birmingham, this evening, after responding impressively to being dropped to the subs' bench at Arsenal. He helped turn the tide Wanderers' way at Highbury with an aggressive performance and the late equaliser, after being sent on with Les Ferdinand early in the second half and repeated the "super sub" show at Yeovil in the Carling Cup with a goal that had Allardyce drooling.

"That was a hell of a goal because he only had about a foot to aim at between the goalkeeper's hand and the post," the manager said, "and that goalie was saving everything on the night.

"But you could see when he went on how confident he was."

Pedersen feared he may need surgery to clear a groin problem in the summer but the Reebok backroom staff - including Ching, the Tai Chi expert - got him back to fitness and he has started the season in prime condition, according Allardyce, some 35 to 40 per cent fitter than when he first arrived from Denmark four years ago.

"The groin trouble might have taken some of that genuine pace off him but, seeing him relaxed and in full flow, he goes past players as if they are not there." he said.

"He's never been the most fluent of movers but people don't understand he is one of the quickest players in the Premiership.

"Alan Curbishley (Charlton manager) will tell you Luke Young is the quickest player in his club but Henrik left him for dead when he scored his first goal on the opening day and he frightened Liverpool to death with the way he went past Josemi to set up that goal for Kevin Davies.

"It's about confidence. The workrate has always been there and the speed's always been there - even the goalscoring was there when he was in Denmark, although that was at a lesser level.

"Henrik's progressed very nicely. He's slowly got better and better and really has the confidence now, like everyone else. He understands what the Premiership's all about."

Allardyce has just one fear. If Pedersen continues to have Premiership defenders in a flap and carries on with his trademark "peacock" celebration he came up with on holiday with his pals in Cyprus this summer, he could fly the nest.

"One of these days he might just take off!" the manager joked.