Foster is best by far, boasts Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson is 100% certain Ben Foster will be England's first choice goalkeeper for the World Cup in South Africa next summer.

Foster has only played once for his country under Fabio Capello, coming on as a half-time substitute in the March friendly against Slovakia.

The Manchester United stopper would almost certainly have added another couple of caps to his tally last month, only for a thumb operation to prevent him facing Kazakhstan and Andorra as replacement for David James, who had undergone shoulder surgery.

It is a depressingly familiar story for Foster, who spent his first two years as a United player on loan at Watford and had his third wrecked by a cruciate injury.

Yet despite the catalogue of injury, Ferguson has never lost faith in the former Stoke man.

He has said often enough in the past that Foster will be England's number one at some point in the future. Now he has gone one step further by claiming the 26-year-old will oust James as Capello's first choice before the coming campaign is done.

"Ben Foster will be England's goalkeeper in South Africa, I have absolutely no doubts about that," he said.

"He is streets ahead of any other English goalkeeper.

"He has magnificent abilities. He is lightning quick, has excellent use of the ball and is exceedingly brave. He is a top drawer goalkeeper."

Ferguson does concede Foster needs his abysmal luck with injuries to end.

However, he has confirmed the Leamington Spa-born player, who is set to figure against Hangzhou Greentown in the final match of United's Far East tour on Sunday night after sitting out Friday's victory over FC Seoul, will get enough chances to impress Capello.

"I have to keep an eye on him," admitted Ferguson.

"Ben has an opportunity with England, so I have to give him chances with us.

"I would not want to deny him the chance to play in South Africa so he will play a lot of games this season

"If he stays fit, he will be number one in South Africa. That is my prediction."

Ferguson is effectively confirming he intends to wind down Edwin van der Sar's career, even though the veteran Dutchman will start his final Old Trafford season as first-choice.

It is however bad news for Tomasz Kuszczak, who signed a contract extension last season but now seems set to play third fiddle under Ferguson.

"Tomasz deserves some recognition," he said.

"He has never complained and trains like a beast all the time.

"It is a very difficult situation because I need to get him minutes on the clock as well.

"Unfortunately Tomasz seems to have been bombed out by Poland for some reason.

"I don't understand why because I have to think about these things in terms of their careers."