MICHAEL Ricketts is ready to take on the best tonight in the knowledge that another goalscoring performance could put the world at his feet.

The Wanderers' leading striker has already received high praise for his goalscoring achievements and is now being tipped as a possible candidate for an England World Cup place.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson knows all about Ricketts' rapid rise to fame as the pundits up and down the country suggest that he is worth a run out on the international stage.

Yet in the end it is down to the player himself; if he can carry on scoring it would make it hard for Eriksson to ignore his claims.

In his sights tonight are Manchester United and after scoring the winner against them back in October when the Wanderers emerged 2-1 winners, he is keen to make it a double.

Over the past few weeks, however, his scoring exploits have been put in the shade by Rudd van Nistelrooy.

The United hit man netted a Premiership record with eight goals in eight games and he will be looking for more tonight as he tries to keep the Reds ahead of Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds.

There's also the small matter of revenge,

Wanderers' win at Old Trafford in October hit headlines all over the world and certainly stung United.

Tonight they have the chance to get their own back and edge Wanderers a little nearer to the relegation trap-door.

Goals will win it in the end - but will it be Ricketts or van Nistelrooy celebrating? Nearly 30,000 inside a packed Reebok Stadium are waiting for the answer.