SWITZERLAND might be famed for its neutrality but, with Aiyegbeni Yakubu having described Middlesbrough's strikeforce as the envy of the rest of the Premiership, Steve McClaren's men will travel to Basle this evening with the intention of going on the attack.

Crucial away goals against both Stuttgart and Roma have taken the Teessiders into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history and established a pattern that manager Steve McClaren is understandably keen to repeat at St Jakob Park tonight.

With Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka supplementing Yakubu in the Boro attack, McClaren is hardly short of goalscoring options as he attempts to record a second success on Swiss soil this season.

The trio boast 46 goals between them this term, a tally that has taken their club to the last eight of three different cup competitions and demolished defences across the continent.

And, with Italian international Massimo Maccarone completing Boro's attacking quartet, Yakubu insists that no English side boasts as much firepower as Middlesbrough.

"At the moment, I think we have the four best strikers in the country," said the Nigeria international, who is hoping to return to the starting line-up this evening after making a brief substitute appearance in Sunday's 4-3 win over Bolton. "I don't think there's a single side in the Premiership that could claim to have four better strikers than we do.

"Nobody else has the same strength in depth and that is one of the main reasons why we have done so well this year.

"People talk about Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, but I don't think they have the same resources up front that we do.

"Our strikers have scored goals whenever they have played this season. Whenever any of us have been called upon, we have delivered the goods."

Yakubu has certainly made his mark since completing a £7.5m move to Teesside last summer, scoring 19 goals despite Boro's Premiership struggles and living up to his pre-season promise of keeping pace with Arsenal's Thierry Henry.

Yet, despite enjoying similar success at both Portsmouth and his former club, Maccabi Haifa, the African has rarely received the kind of plaudits reserved for the English game's leading lights.

While the likes of Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Michael Owen receive universal praise, Yakubu's profile remains resolutely difficult to raise.

A UEFA Cup victory would surely do something to change that and, despite scoring in the Champions League during his time in Israel, the 23-year-old has admitted a success tonight would rank alongside anything he has achieved in the game.

"This is one of the biggest games I have ever been involved in," said Yakubu. "I have played in the Champions League in the past, but this is a quarter-final so it is different.

"When I was playing in the Champions League, I was playing in the last 32. It was a big deal because it was a major European competition, but it was not the same as playing in a quarter-final.

"We all know what this means because we all know what could be around the corner if we do well in it. With the players that we have at the club, we are definitely capable of getting to the final.

"On paper, this is a good draw for us. But we have to make it happen. When we get out there, we can't be thinking about what might or might not be happening in the future. We have to think about beating Basle."

With the value of an away goal having been proved in Rome, McClaren is likely to name two strikers in his side this evening. Even so, that will still leave one of the club's leading trio kicking their heels on the sidelines.

In the past, Viduka has been the player to miss out in European competition but, with the Australian having scored in each of his last four league games, he would be rightly aggrieved if he was overlooked again tonight.

Nevertheless, someone will be and, while Yakubu desperately hopes it is not him, he accepts his manager's rotation policy has become inevitable because of Boro's hectic schedule this season.

"I think the rotation policy is a good thing," he said. "It keeps everyone sharp and is good for the club. It is hard to keep everyone happy, but you are always ready to give your best whenever you are called upon to play.

"I am not angry when I am asked to sit on the bench because I know there are other top players taking my place. It is never nice of course, but sometimes it is for the good of the club."

As well as selecting his strikers for the final two months of the season, McClaren must also start to consider his options for next term.

Hasselbaink is out of contract in the summer, while Viduka has already hinted at a possible departure with just one more year of his current deal to run.

"I am not the one who will make the final decision, but I hope Mark is still here next season," said Yakubu.

"He is a special player and it will be good if he stays with Middlesbrough.

"The same applies to Jimmy and Massimo. It would be nice to have all four strikers playing together again next season."

Read more about Middlesbrough here.