Yakubu - full of confidenceMiddlesbrough's Aiyegbeni Yakubu is convinced he and fellow striker Mark Viduka can fire the club back into Europe.
The 23-year-old Nigerian international heads into Monday night's Barclays Premiership clash with former club Portsmouth full of confidence after opening his season's account at Reading and playing his part in another famous victory over Chelsea.
Yakubu, who joined Boro in a £7.5million move from Fratton Park last summer, helped his side reach the UEFA Cup final last season in just their second European campaign.
However, that extended run came at the expense of their Premiership form, and a 14th-place finish means there can be no repeat this time around.
But having had a taste of the big time, Yakubu is determined to experience it again as soon as possible as Gareth Southgate's men target a first ever top-six finish.
He said: "I'm hoping we will perform better in the league this year. I think we can improve from last season and get back into European football.
"We have a different manager who brings a different mentality and different thinking.
"We, the players, have to back him both on and off the pitch. I really hope it goes well for him."
Alexandre Gaydamak's arrival at Pompey has handed manager Harry Redknapp the financial power to target big-money signings, although Boro were quick to warn off the south coast club amid speculation they were ready to break the bank to recapture Yakubu.
The former Maccabi Haifa frontman came agonisingly close to becoming the first Boro player since Fabrizio Ravanelli to reach the 20-goal mark in a season.
He claimed 19 by the middle of March, but then failed to find the back of the net again and eventually lost his place in the starting line-up as Viduka partnered Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the UEFA Cup final.
Yakubu, while acknowledging he could not have played every game, admitted then manager Steve McClaren's decision to rotate his strikers throughout the campaign might have had an effect.
He said: "I struggled at times last year with the squad rotation. With Europe, you can never play four games in one week, it's impossible.
"But at the same time, it's difficult because it can upset your rhythm. You play one and rest two, or play two and rest two, and it's frustrating.
"I really enjoyed my football last year. It didn't feel like it was my first season, I felt like I'd been here for many years. Everyone made me feel very welcome.
"I'm happy here and want to keep doing my job."
Hasselbaink's departure to Charlton and Southgate's focus on recruiting defenders this summer - he has, however, been linked with Preston striker David Nugent - has left Yakubu and Viduka as the first-choice partnership.
Viduka started on the bench against Chelsea and saw Yakubu miss two gilt-edged chances, although the African is convinced the pair can cause real problems for opposition defenders.
Yakubu said: "As a striker, I want to get 20 goals, that's the target I set myself. All I want to do is score goals.
"Mark Viduka is a fantastic player. I love training with him and we are working very well together.
"I really think we can produce something special this season and help fire the club back into Europe where they belong."
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