Dean Smith now hopeful on Milan Lalkovic's Walsall future

The on-loan Chelsea hitman netted the Saddlers' second goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Carlisle United, following up his match-winner in the recent 1-0 win at Shrewsbury Town.

Smith revealed on Friday he is in talks with the Premier League club over extending the 21-year-old's stay until the end of the season.

But having previously said he was not expecting any deal to be done before January, Smith is now hopeful an agreement can be reached in the next few days. Lalkovic is currently due to return to Stamford Bridge on January 4.

"I'm hoping it will be sorted by the New Year," said Smith. "Football clubs have to work during this period and I'm sure Chelsea will be working, just like ourselves.

"I'm talking to Chelsea as we speak and nothing has been finalised but we are hopeful."

Lalkovic's superb goal came midway through the second half after Romaine Sawyers had put the Saddlers ahead in the 14th minute. In between, Carlisle's Lee Miller saw his penalty saved by Richard O'Donnell before somehow firing the rebound over the bar from three yards out.

While Smith was delighted with Lalkovic's goal, he warned the Slovakian still has work to do.

"He had a sloppy first 20 minutes I felt and then he had a run at someone, got the other side of him and did that twice on the spin," said Smith. "All of a sudden he looked a threat and it looked to give him the confidence again."

Smith will be without midfielder Adam Chambers for the Boxing Day trip to Bristol City after the midfielder picked up his fifth yellow card, though the Saddlers boss felt the caution should instead have gone to Troy Hewitt.

He said: "Troy should have taken the yellow card but unfortunately the referee got it wrong which is disappointing."