GARY Megson reckons that with a bit of spit and polish, he could have the Premier League’s best finisher on his hands at the Reebok.

Skipper Kevin Davies’s suspension means Ivan Klasnic is almost certain to be handed a starting shirt against Wolves tomorrow.

The Croatia international came back into the side with a bang last weekend, producing a clinical strike at Fulham to help Wanderers to a deserved point.

And his manager believes that if the on-loan Nantes striker continues to hone his game, he could prove a massive hit at his adopted club.

“Ivan is an out-and-out goalscorer,” Megson said. “In terms of fitness, he’s okay but he’s coming from a different way of playing football.

“If he gets to his game, there’s not a better finisher in the Premier League — and I mean that.”

Megson is hoping that Klasnic can adopt some of the workrate offered to Wanderers by Davies, especially in a lone role up front.

“I think it’s just a realisation of the requirements necessary over here for a centre forward,” the Whites boss said.

“Each game that he’s started or come on as a substitute, he’s had an opportunity. Against Manchester United when Bibi challenged Edwin van der Sar it was Ivan who knocked it in, and that goal should have counted.

“Against Everton when he came on, it dropped to him and he finished it. He’s got that ability to be in the right place at the right time, and can finish, but we are not a good enough team to just have that as the icing on the cake. We need those other things.”

Megson admits he may have to shuffle his pack to accommodate Davies’s absence.

Johan Elmander was an unused substitute last week, while Fabrice Muamba could also be drafted in to shore up midfield.

But the manager has hopes that the side will cope without their captain.

“We’ll have to change certain things but there are times we have had to do without him,” he said. “In the first season I arrived he broke his hand, and he was suspended for two games — one of them was Middlesbrough and we won that one.

“People come into the team now, and we have got to hope they do the same again.”

While Jimmy Bullard’s comically choreographed celebration for Hull at Manchester City last weekend rather overshadowed Klasnic’s effort for Wanderers at Craven Cottage, Gretar Steinsson is hoping his team-mate will get another chance to showcase what has become known at Euxton as “The Dog”.

The Icelander has become good friends with him since he arrived at the club, and has tipped him to score plenty more.

“Ivan is a very complicated man and I am not sure even he knew what he was going to do,” said the full-back.

“I am hopeful he will get more chances to show us some addition to his celebrations. They are often really odd and mysterious but I am looking forward to the next one.

“He is a great guy, a funny man. I can speak German with him.

“He is a fantastic, world class player and it’s great to have him around the training ground to see his ability.

“You saw a glimpse of it at Fulham. His turn on Hangeland was fantastic and world class.”

Megson was also puzzled by Klasnic’s unique celebration.

“It wasn’t the best was it?” he laughed. “I think he ran out of ideas.

“What did delight me though is that every single outfield player got up to congratulate him, which hasn’t always happened.

“They are only little things but I think you can judge the togetherness and honesty of the players, and how much it meant to them, just by their reaction.”