YOURI Djorkaeff struck an optimistic note as he considered the odds stacked against Wanderers ending Newcastle's formidable home run tonight writes Gordon Sharrock

"We really have nothing to lose," the French maestro admitted. "Newcastle are fantastic. It is a great stadium, there will be a great atmosphere and the team is third in the league ... fantastic!

"Defeat there would be expected, normal I suppose. But we know that we can do it. We have shown before that we can beat teams like Newcastle and Manchester United.

"Sometimes it happens, sometimes not, but we must go there wanting to make things happen."

Although poles apart in the Premiership - an 11th successive home win would leave Sir Bobby Robson's team just three points adrift of second-placed Manchester United - Wanderers have the psychological advantage of having beaten Alan Shearer and Co at the Reebok just four weeks ago.

And, ever the optimist, Djorkaeff hopes he might just have helped turn the wheel of fortune with his sensational late equaliser at Charlton.

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The World Cup and European Championship winner has had neither the time nor the inclination to rank that spectacular strike in his catalogue of memorable goals but he believes it could be one of the most important he has ever scored.

"The goal I scored at Charlton was very important because it changed things," he explained.

"I was getting fed up losing last minute goals and last minute points. But this time we got the late goal. The lucky chance has not been coming along but this might have changed that."

Immensely talented and vastly experienced, Djorkaeff knows full well that Wanderers cannot rely alone on good fortune to pull them clear of the relegation zone. With just 15 games to save their Premiership skins, there is no substitute for total commitment to the cause.

"If tomorrow we can have less pressure on us, we can play different football," he explains, "but at the moment we need 11 fighters in the ground - 12 with the public!

"And every second during the game we must be concentrating.

"Now is the time to go out and demonstrate what we are about. We have to make things happen - if you wait for things to happen you will get nothing."

A year ago, Djorkaeff was out in the cold at Kaiserslautern, wondering whether his illustrious career at club and international level was coming to a premature end - until Sam Allardyce brought him to the Reebok.

Now, having helped Wanderers retain their Premiership status last season, he is as determined as ever to do it again.

A dogfight was not exactly what he signed up for when he put his famous name to a two-year contract in the summer but he has adjusted his sights accordingly and has no time for any backward glances.

"This is my first experience of a relegation fight," he acknowledged. "Maybe this is not the football I would prefer but I am very happy here and that is important.

"I have never had it in my mind to have any regrets about signing."