Lambert rules out Alnwick replacement

David Cuffley

Norwich City boss Paul Lambert today ruled out looking for another goalkeeper after Ben Alnwick returned to Tottenham because of a hip injury that will rule him out for up to six weeks.

Alnwick, who has made six appearances for the Canaries since arriving on a three-month loan from Spurs, picked up the problem in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy win over Brentford on Tuesday night - just eight days after suffering a badly gashed cheek in the Carling Cup defeat by Sunderland.

The two clubs are in talks over the possibility of cancelling the loan.

Said Lambert: “Ben's away back to Tottenham. He's injured for a spell so he's back there.

“His hip flexor is going to keep him out for a number of weeks so the best thing was for him to go back to Tottenham. He got it the other night in the game.

“If it's six weeks we only get him for another two weeks after that so that takes him up to the middle of October and his three-month period is virtually up then.

“The club is talking to Tottenham. There is a bit of dialogue with them at the minute.”

Lambert has no plans to add another 'keeper to his squad, however, happy to rely on loan signing Fraser Forster, 18-year-old Declan Rudd and Australian summer capture Michael Theoklitos.

“Ben's played well, and he did great the other night and in the Sunderland game,” said Lambert. “He certainly kept us in the Brentford game with his save from the lad's header, but we've still got good goalkeepers at the club, so that's fine.

“We have Fraser, Michael and Declan. I saw Fraser playing last year so I don't have a problem.”

Forster, whose loan was extended until the New Year on Tuesday after keeping a clean sheet on his debut at Hartlepool, looks certain to face Walsall in tomorrow's League One match at Carrow Road (3pm).

Lambert is still without two midfielders - Owain Tudur Jones (calf strain) and Matthew Gill (knee injury).