HENRIK Pedersen has set his sights on ending the season as top of the Reebok goal charts.

The determined Dane got his nose in front when he claimed his seventh goal of the season as Wanderers boosted their survival hopes with a derby drubbing of Manchester City. And he aims to keep it that way.

"The most important thing is that we stay up," the modest Pedersen insisted, "but, personally, I would like to be up there as top scorer."

Pedersen, who a year ago was sent out on loan to his old club Silkeborg after a torrid time with injuries, has hit scoring form at just the right time, justifying Sam Allardyce's confidence in his wholehearted commitment to the point at which, in the wake of Michael Ricketts' departure, he has kept loan signings Salva Ballesta and Pierre-Yves Andre in the shade.

His opportunism has put him ahead of Youri Djorkaeff, who has scored six, and Jay-Jay Okocha (five) but he underlined the work ethic today when he insisted the credit for the recent run of three clean sheets should be shared throughout the team.

"Not taking anything away from the defenders," he said reflecting on the derby win, "but it started up front by the strikers putting pressure on their centre-backs. They just had to hit long balls. Gudni Bergsson, Forent Laville and Bruno N'Gotty are so good in the air that they they found it quite easy to take the ball down from Fowler and Anelka."

Allardyce is delighted to see his front men finally getting on the end of the good approach play - especially his spearhead striker scoring from close range. But Pedersen admits his strike against City was as much to do with luck as good judgment. "There was a one-two between Jay-Jay and Per (Frandsen) and in that situation you just hope to get in front of the defender and hope it drops to to you. Luckily it did!"

The Dane remains cautious about Wanderers' survival prospects though and does not subscribe to the 41 points theory. "Maybe we will need more than that," he suggested, "because it's very tight."

"We have West Ham at home and Middlesbrough at home and they are very important now. The other four games are important too, of course, but if we can win those two and get to 41 that may just be enough."