Ben Foster feeling back in the Albion groove

Baggies keeper Ben Foster now feels back to normal after returning from a 10-month lay-off.

The 32-year-old admitted after this first game back, the 2-2 draw with Bristol City in the FA Cup, that it felt odd being on the pitch after so long.

He was constantly questioning his decision-making and tweaking his positioning.

But the England international has now played three games since his return, and kept clean sheets in the last two.

The replay at Ashton Gate helped him no end, and he reckons he's now back into the groove of things after shutting out Villa on Saturday.

"I felt great, I felt really good , it was nice to be out there," said Foster. "I felt pretty normal to be honest with you so I'm just going to try and carry on doing that.

"Not many of the fans would've been too happy with having a replay down at Bristol City on a Tuesday night when it was freezing, but I was really happy with it to be honest with you.

"It was another game to get 90 minutes under my belt and thankfully I kept a clean sheet and just got a bit more of my bearings back."

Returning from injury at the same time as Southampton's Fraser Forster, talk has already turned to the summer and the European Championships.

At the moment it looks like Roy Hodgson will be forced to pick three to take out of Joe Hart, Jack Butland, Forster and Foster.

"It's something I'm really not thinking about to be honest with you," said the Albion keeper.

"I haven't put a moment's thought into it, I've just been out for 10 months.

"I've come back, probably only been training for about a month, so that's all I'm focusing on really, getting back to full fitness, getting back to sharpness and playing as many games as I can."

He had sympathy for Forster, whose injury lay-off curiously mirrored his own.

"Fraser's played three games now and kept three clean sheets, it's phenomenal," said Foster.

"He's been out 10 months too and he comes back and keeps a clean sheet up at Old Trafford.

"I'm buzzing for him because he's a good lad as well. When you've been out 10 months, it's really hard, it's so annoying so fair play to him."

He had nothing but praise for Stoke's 22-year-old stopper Jack Butland, who has already kept nine clean sheets in the league this season.

"He was probably the worst kept secret in football," said Foster. "He's absolutely brilliant, he just needed a chance to play and it's finally come to it. He's got everything, he's grounded, he's got an experienced head on young shoulders. He's a fantastic goalie.

"We're lucky, the goalkeeping department in England is well stocked at the minute."