The Teessiders head for West Ham tomorrow having seen their season effectively ended by a 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final replay defeat at Manchester United on March 19.

Southgate knows a rousing finish could clinch the argument with his two most influential players.

Woodgate's season-long loan deal from Real Madrid is coming to an end, while Viduka is out of contract in the summer, and the manager desperately wants to keep both.

Southgate said: "With Mark, talks are ongoing. With Jonathan, we just have to keep impressing him with what we are trying to do.

"Both are going to want to take their time to think about things and as a manager, I am very comfortable with that.

"They are enjoying their football and they are playing at the level they are, that helps us in our quest to try to keep them."

If Woodgate stays it would be a massive coup for Southgate, who played alongside him for England, although he knows there could be competition for the 27-year-old.

He said: "We feel he is enjoying his football and he is enjoying the challenge of playing for his home-town team.

"There are lots of positives for him - he has broken back into the England squad while playing with us, so we have shown his international ambitions will not be harmed by being here.

"It is a big decision for Jonathan. The fact he has enjoyed the season as much as he has is in our favour, but he is with a very big club and he has to decide what he wants to do."

Ironically, Woodgate is a doubt for tomorrow's match at Upton Park with the knee injury which prevented his participation in England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra.

However, Southgate is hopeful the problem is not significant.

He said: "You can never be 100% certain, but he seems okay with it at the moment.

"He has had a slight problem with his knee for a couple of weeks and it will just have to be managed carefully after matches and during training.

"He was feeling it after the game at Old Trafford. We liaised very closely with the England medical team and they decided rather than have him sitting on the plane going to Israel, it would be better to come back and be treated here."

Woodgate's absence, along with that of Viduka, for the home clash with Manchester City a fortnight ago, saw Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock and Hammers manager Alan Curbishley passing comment in the wake of City's 2-0 victory.

But Southgate remained defiant as he prepared for the run-in.

With his tongue in cheek, he said: "I am a young manager and it is helpful to have advice from more experienced Premier League managers.

"In the end, it is great motivation for my players because some of the things said in various quarters are disrespectful to the squad.

"My job is to pick a team for Middlesbrough. If there is any disappointment, it would be from our fans and my chairman that we lost the game against Manchester City."

Julio Arca is a doubt with a groin injury, while Lee Cattermole and James Morrison are suspended.