Villa's Goalkeeper Quandary

Martin O'Neill says that they are not sure if Gabor Kiraly will be required to increase his loan spell at Villa which runs out this Saturday, or if he will be allowed to, as Thomas Sorensen and Stuart Taylor are both getting closer to fitness and at least one could be available for the Watford game on the 20th of this month.

'The situation is this, we will monitor this week. He will be with us here. Officially his loan ends on Saturday after the game. We will see how the two goalkeepers progress. We will monitor that there and see where we are. I am not sure of the rules, and Steve Stride (operations director) will check them for me. But for instance, if one of them was fit enough to go on the bench, then the rules might be that if you are fit enough for the bench then you are fit enough to start.'

Adding, 'So I am not sure. I am told when he went to West Ham on loan, it might have been a genuine loan, rather than an injury crisis, because he was on the bench a couple of times. That, I am just not sure at this minute and I need to check. In other words, if one of these goalkeepers is fit to participate, does that then mean that Kiraly no longer becomes a part of the equation? I just don't know. We need to check.'

Finishing, on the official site: 'Officially it ends on Saturday, by which time one of the goalkeepers should be fit. Steve Stride will have to tell me the rules, but he is available here until such time as the goalkeepers get fit. At this moment they are in the process of getting fit.'

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