WITH the need for results becoming more pressing for the North-East’s big three clubs, we asked the Legends who will be the most important player for their club for the rest of the season?

MICKY HORSWILL

I’m going to start off by saying Darren Bent, but I also think that Kenwyne Jones could be just as vital to us because he is so useful defensively, as well as up front.

But it’s difficult to say anyone other than Darren.

Darren has 16 goals for us this season, so imagine where Sunderland would be without his goals.

If Darren’s goals dry up in the next few months then Sunderland will be in massive, massive trouble. In fact it would be hard to see who would score the goals to keep us out of the relegation zone.

There are no goals from midfield, there’s only Darren and Kenwyne who score regularly. If either of those got injured or suspended we would be struggling.

I know there’s Benjani, but he needs time to settle in, which is why he has not been thrown in straight away. I can’t see him scoring many before the end of the season.

And with the World Cup on the horizon, Darren knows goals could get him to South Africa. If he could finish the season with more than 20 goals there’s a very big chance he will go.

Sunderland need those goals, Bent needs those goals, I just hope he can get them and there will be Premier League football at the Stadium of Light next season.

MALCOLM MACDONALD

Newcastle have their defence well established and they will not concede many goals. With that in mind, they have to make sure they have someone who continues to put the ball in the net.

I think Newcastle’s key player is going to be Andy Carroll.

He has started to score but he has not been playing particularly well. He has been quite erratic, but he is such a nuisance in the way he plays that if he does play well he is a real handful.

At the moment he is coming away with goals, even though he has not been fantastic. He needs to work hard at getting into the penalty area and when he is in there he has to make himself a real presence.

He should be saying to himself ‘when I cross the line I’m going to be buzzing to get up for everything’.

When centre-halves look at him, he should be striking the fear of God into them.

He has to be big and if he can do that between now and the end of the season then Newcastle have every chance of winning the league. He could be that important to them.

BERNIE SLAVEN

Like the others, it’s got to be a striker, and for me Scott McDonald will be the difference between Middlesbrough getting into the play-offs or not.

He has recently returned from hernia surgery, he has not been fully fit and he missed a penalty the other night at Blackpool, but I’m still confident he can score goals.

I’m a big Celtic fan and I watch a lot of their football, so I have seen quite a bit of Scott. He has been able to score plenty goals at that level, he has scored goals against Milan and in the Champions League, so I’m sure he can score in the Championship.

Our top scorer was Adam Johnson and we have to make up for his goals from somewhere, McDonald is the only one really who can do that.

If he fires blanks between now and the end of the season then I can’t see Middlesbrough getting into the top six, we can wave goodbye to the Premier League.

It might take him time to adapt, he is used to playing in front of 60,000 at Celtic and the atmosphere at the Riverside can be quiet.

But he has talent, I know that, so hopefully it won’t take him too long to come good.

■ The Legends were speaking to Paul Fraser.

Listen to The Legends weekdays 6-8pm and Saturdays from 1pm on 100-102FM Real Radio.

Read their views every Saturday in Northern Echo Sport.