NEWCASTLE United frontman Mark Viduka may have nothing to prove as a striker, but his two goals against Derby County on Sunday will give manager Sam Allardyce a timely reminder of his worth as the Magpies face the second fixture of the Festive period against Wigan today.

Viduka was the Newcastle hero in the club's disappointing draw with the Premier League's basement team, when he rescued his side a point in leading a fight back to turn around 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. It was the striker's fourth and fifth goal of the season in nine starts.

The 32-year-old had been left out of Allardyce's previous five line-ups.

His below par performance against Liverpool in the club's 3- 0 home defeat cost him his place and he had to settle for a place on the bench as a consequence, with Alan Smith taking a forward role.

But the former Middlesbrough striker hopes he has done enough, after yet another lumbering display by his teammates, to cement his place in the side after making known he is not happy to play the role of substitute.

"Do I hate being a substitute?

Hate is a strong word, but nobody likes being on the bench," said Viduka, whose goals against Derby were his first for the club since a brace in a 3-1 victory over West Ham three months ago.

"I don't like not being involved but all I can do is do my best. I've been round long enough for people to know what I can and can't do. I don't think I have anything to prove."

Viduka cut a frustrated figure after the disappointing draw with relegation-bound Derby and acknowledged he was irritated by United's inability cut out silly defensive mistakes and to kill off teams.

He added: "As a striker I'm delighted on a personal level to score two goals, especially to come back into the side after a spell on the bench. But the shine has been taken off by the fact we've not won the game. The edge has definitely been taken off the celebrations because we've not got all three points.

"As a striker you can play well and not even get a sniff of a goal.

I got two sniffs on Sunday and I've got them both, but it's not always like that.

"We've scored two goals but we're probably not making the most out of the chances we are creating at the moment. That's something we need to address, but we've also got a problem conceding goals and we've had it all season. I don't know what we do to remedy that."

Although Viduka is not enamored with a place among the substitutes, his Newcastle manager made the decision because his striker was beginning to look jaded.

The Australian international signed for the Magpies, but immediately left to play for his national side in the Asia Cup as the curtain drew on last season's tough Premier League campaign.

As a consequence he never had a pre-season break and the extended summer exertions finally began to take their toll in some mediocre displays, by his high standards.

Viduka admitted as much when he said: "I think the Asia Cup left me feeling jaded. It took it out of me mentally more than physically and that held me back at the start of the season I think.

I'm starting to get back into it and these two goals will certainly help."

Speculation about whether he will continue playing for Australia refuses to go away and Viduka confessed he has yet to decide on his international future.

He added: "I'm going to have a meeting with the new manager soon and we'll discuss it. I've spoken to him on the phone and they want me to carry on playing international football.

"We'll have a good chat in the new year and we'll see what happens from there. There has been talk of coming to a compromise where I won't be asked to play in all the World Cup qualifiers. It's pretty hectic, there are midweek games where I'd have to fly to Australia or Iraq and that takes it out of you.

"I think I'll have to wait until I've spoken to him and to see exactly what would be expected of me. It's an extremely tough decision to make. I love playing for Australia but I also want to give my best to Newcastle."