Foster Set for Comeback As Capello Seeks to Solve Goalkeeping Riddle

Fabio Capello has made little secret of his misgivings about the paucity of top-quality English goalkeepers but the England head coach will be encouraged to learn that the most credible challenger for David James' position is nearing the end of a 10-month injury lay-off. Capello has not had a chance to see Ben Foster but that opportunity may not be far away after the 24-year-old was penciled in for his long-awaited comeback match.

Foster has been recovering all season from a knee operation but his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule and it is a measure of his progress that he was disappointed to be left out of Manchester United's reserve match at Liverpool last night.

Sir Alex Ferguson has adopted a cautious approach, reluctant to take any risks with such a valuable player, but the United manager has him in mind for a reserve game against Middlesbrough tomorrow week. If so, it will be Foster's first game since a two-year loan spell at Watford in which his form was so impressive that the manager, Adrian Boothroyd, described him as better than United's current goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, and predicted that he would go on to be recognized as the best in the world.

Capello will certainly be pleased to see Foster return to action, given the coach's recent remarks to the Italian media bemoaning the shortage of English goalkeepers. James was restored to the team for Capello's first match in charge, the 2-1 defeat of Switzerland this month, but it is unrealistic to assume the 37-year-old will be able to maintain his excellent form until the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and there will always be doubts about his habit of making expensive mistakes.

Capello has subsequently been looking at younger players and, almost by default, he is considering calling up Joe Hart, Manchester City's England Under-21 international, for the friendly against France against Paris on March 26. Paul Robinson's return to the Tottenham Hot spur side adds another name to the equation but Capello is known to be intrigued by the reports he has heard about Foster and has watched the video of his one England appearance against Spain.