By Craig Hope

ON the evidence of Wednesday's performance against Scunthorpe, Wayne Routledge looks set to pick up where he left off before injury curtailed his early progress on Tyneside.

The whiplash wideman returned to the side for the 3-0 win against The Iron having missed the previous four matches with a calf problem.

It wasn't long, though, before he was again tormenting opposition full-backs and it was from his slick run and killer through ball that Peter Lovenkrands lifted home United's second.

January signing Routledge won many admirers during an eye-catching introduction to life at Gallowgate, and the former QPR man hopes he can pick up that form between now and the end of the season.

"It was an enjoyable game to come back into on Wednesday and you can see the confidence in the side," the 25-year-old told nufcTV.

"The only surprise was we didn't get five or six. But it was a good game for me to find my feet again and I enjoyed it.

"I don't normally get injured so to get the calf problem when I did I was devastated. I'd had a good start and loved being part of the team so to miss a few games has been disappointing.

"But I'm back now and I feel good. I'm a naturally fit guy anyway, but, to be fair, the physios and medical team here have done a great job with me; I've been raring to get back in for the past couple of weeks but they've held me back.

"Hopefully I'll benefit from that and I felt sharp on Wednesday. I just can't wait now for the next few games."

Routledge and co travel to Bristol City on Saturday, a game the Londoner knows will provide a stern test of United's title credentials.

"I watched on TV the other week when Bristol beat West Brom so we know what they're capable of," he added.

"They've got some good players when they get their performance together and it will be tough.

"But we're the team in form and playing with confidence right now and it's up to us to set the tone and hopefully get the three points."