Kuszczak's final chance

TOMASZ Kuszczak has been handed an 11th-hour chance to remind United that Ben Foster isn't Edwin Van der Sar's nailed-on successor.

The unlucky Foster has once again been hit by an untimely injury that has ruled him out of Champions League final duty in Rome.

The 26-year-old had fought his way past his Polish rival Kuszczak to be considered Van der Sar's rival for the number one job.

But Foster has had surgery on a ruptured ligament in his right thumb suffered in training and will need a nine-week recovery period.

"It is a big blow for Ben as not only will he miss the Champions League final but also England's summer internationals," said Sir Alex Ferguson. "Ben has tried to continue the season with this injury but it got so critical that an operation was the only way forward.

"It is disappointing for him but the important thing was to get this operation done."

It is another nightmare for Foster, whose career at Old Trafford has been dogged by injury.

His major absence came after returning from a successful two-year loan stint at Watford when he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury.

This season saw him break his finger in the final seconds of United's last training session before the squad flew to Japan for FIFA's Club World Cup.

But he bounced back in 2009 to forge ahead of Kuszczak.

Since the New Year the Pole has played just two matches against Derby in the Carling Cup and Blackburn in the Premier League.

In contrast Foster's elevation to Van der Sar's main understudy was clear as he played in seven matches including two Wembley appearances in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.

In the League Cup penalty shoot-out against Spurs Foster was the Man of the Match and Fergie described him as the "future".

But his latest setback has opened the door again for Kuszczak who must have been contemplating his future with the prospect of another campaign next year behind Van der Sar and Foster.

That will probably still be the case for the 27-year-old who has also slid down the pecking order for Poland as well.

But having been on the bench in Moscow 12 months ago he will now be back on stand-by in the Champions League final in Rome against Barcelona.

United's 1968 European Cup winning goalkeeper Alex Stepney believes the Reds need have no worries.

"Tomasz will be ready if needed you can be sure of that," says Stepney. "The whole United goalkeeping department is structured around everyone being able to step up to the plate if called upon.

"It could be a chance for him to remind a few people what he's about at Hull on Sunday and he will be ready to go if needs be in Rome.

"He might have a point or two to prove having dipped a bit in the keeper order in the second half of the season.

"He's done a very good job in the past and this is a little boost for him.

"But it is another big shame for Ben. Tomasz was in Moscow last season and you would have thought Ben would have got the nod as understudy to Edwin for Rome.

"He will be wondering what on earth he has done to deserve all this but he can comfort himself knowing that he proved a lot in games like the Carling Cup Final.

"I spoke to him on Sunday night and I told him not to let it get him down. I told him he has a big season ahead of him next year with Edwin possibly going to be used less and less and that he must concentrate on that."