08/09 Review: Foster

Sir Alex expects Ben Foster to be United and England's no. 1 for many years to come, but the 26 year-old is having to wait as the evergreen Edwin van der Sar continues to excel. Thankfully Ben realises patience is a virtue...

Start to finish: Foster's nine appearances in 2008/09 included two at Wembley in the cups. His two league starts were both in the north-east.

Vital contribution: Going to Sunderland and Middlesbrough to face sides battling for their top-flight lives in front of a partisan crowd is never easy and Foster performed admirably in both as the Reds secured six vital points at the business end of the season.

Any other business: Ben was the hero of the hour in the Carling Cup final, using goalkeeping coach Eric Steele's iPod as an aid to help shatter Tottenham Hotspur's hopes in the penalty shoot-out. Foster enjoyed another Wembley clean sheet in the FA Cup semi against Everton, but this time it was former Reds keeper Tim Howard who emerged victorious from the lottery of the spot-kicks.

Any lows: A thumb injury required an operation which kept him out of the season's closing matches, including two World Cup qualifiers with England.