PETER Lovenkrands is prepared to battle Newcastle’s established forwards to retain his place in the club’s strike force.

With first-choice marksmen Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins edging closer to match fitness and Michael Owen due back in action next month, Lovenkrands admits that he’s under pressure to stake his claim.

But the former Rangers star showed a striker’s instinct to grab his debut Newcastle goal at the Hawthorns last Saturday and believes he can be the man to help fire the Magpies to Premier League safety.

“I love playing as a striker and feel confident that I can get goals,” he confirmed. “I know that we have great strikers like Oba and Michael Owen so when I get a chance to play up front I feel a bit nervous to prove that I’m good enough.

“But I thought I did well against West Brom and scored my goal that helped get us the three points so I’ve repaid the coach’s faith in me a bit.

“I played my last half season at Rangers as a striker and scored 18 goals and I got one against West Brom playing through the middle so hopefully that convinces people that I can play in that position.

“I know that when all of our strikers are fit it’s going to be a real battle to play up front.’’ The 28-year-old Dane has already been hailed by teammate Nicky Butt as being the bargain of the transfer window and Newcastle supporters chanted ‘Peter Lovenkrands, signed on a free from Germany’ throughout last weekend’s game.

“I didn’t realise that they were singing my name,’’ he admitted. “At half time Alan Smith said to me ‘have you heard the supporters?’ and I was like ‘was that about me?’ “It was quite funny when he told me what they were singing because I’ve only been here five minutes.

“It’s a massive compliment for a player like Nicky Butt to say that because as far as I’m concerned he’s a superstar and a really good player so for him to say something like that is very pleasing and it’s a huge boost for my confidence.

“I’d heard about the fans before I came here but they’ve been amazing for me and it’s nice to get their support and feel welcome. I had a good relationship with the fans at Rangers and the Newcastle fans are unbelievable.”

After enjoying an unhappy last few months at German club FC Shalke, Lovenkrands believes that Tyneside is providing the perfect setting for his career revival.

“It’s been amazing I’m just loving being here so much,’’ he admitted. “Newcastle just feels like the perfect club for me and I couldn’t be happier really. When I look around our team and the quality that we have I find it amazing that we have been struggling in the league.

“I’ve always been known for my sprinting and I reckon I can still give the young lads at the club a run for their money on the training pitch. I still feel that I’ve got pace in me that can cause defenders a problem I just hope I can hang onto that for a couple more years before I get too old and my legs go.”

In the meantime, Kinnear will spend the next couple of months recovering from yesterday’s triple bypass surgery.

But Chris Hughton is expecting a call from the irrepressible manager in the run up to next weekend’s game.

“I’d imagine at the first available time he’ll be ringing up and, of course, as we go into our next game against Everton, I would imagine that as soon as he can after that he’ll be on the phone,’’ said the stand-in.

“It is very much a personal thing with Joe; the lads are very fond of him.

“But with what we’ve been through this season they’re used to refocusing on what they have to do - training, playing games and, more importantly, trying to win football matches.

“There are difficult away games at Bolton and Hull but we can only look after the first game and that’s at home to Everton, who are a very good side away from home.”