Is Britney back on top?

Britney Spears is trouncing Kylie Minogue in the race for this week's number one.

She is on course to top the charts with new single Toxic and is outselling Kylie's Red Blooded Woman by two to one.

The Aussie pop princess may have to settle for number five, according to early sales figures.

Toxic is 5,000 copies ahead of Peter Andre's Mysterious Girl and looks set to sell more than 100,000 copies by the weekend.

Andre is currently at number two, followed by dance record Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper.

George Michael's new single Amazing and Kylie's Red Blooded Woman are neck-and-neck for fourth place.

Toxic would be Britney's first number one in nearly four years. She last topped the chart in May 2000 with Oops!... I Did It Again.

Her victory will be all the sweeter because Kylie, 35, reportedly took a swipe at the 22-year-old's raunchy videos at the weekend.

"I'm no prude. But I'm not going to those lengths," she said. "I've always been on the right side of the line."

Gennaro Castaldo, spokesman for music retailer HMV, said: "Britney has been losing her way a little in recent years, personally as well as musically.

"But Toxic is a real return to form and there is a great buzz around the record.

"It should give her the kind of momentum to challenge Beyonce and Christina once again for the crown of world's number one pop diva."

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