Manchester United have sought to play down the intrigue surrounding Ben Foster’s absence from the England squad, but the goalkeeper faces a challenge to persuade Fabio Capello that he is equipped to be part of the Italian’s plans for next summer’s World Cup finals.

Foster began the season with a perfect opportunity to establish himself as United’s first-choice goalkeeper, with Edwin van der Sar injured, and to prove to Capello that he was ready to become England’s No 1.

A succession of high-profile errors have undermined Foster’s immediate prospects at Old Trafford, with Van der Sar expected to return and reclaim his place before the end of the month, but his prospects with England have been hit even harder by an apparent susceptibility to injury.

Although no injury was specified when the England squad was announced on Sunday — with David James, Robert Green and Paul Robinson named as Capello’s three goalkeepers — United’s medical staff has informed its FA counterpart that Foster has been suffering from a chest problem.

The explanation from Old Trafford is that Foster, 26, was unable to train fully on Thursday or Friday, which may go some way towards explaining his uncertain display in the 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland on Saturday.

Capello was happy to accept United’s explanation and he simply named James, Green and Robinson as his three goalkeepers. They now have the chance to establish themselves as Capello’s preferred trio, with Foster yet to make a positive impression.

Foster missed the August friendly against Holland with a knee injury, yet played for United three days before and four days after that match.

James and Green are each likely to start one of the two forthcoming games — away to Ukraine on Saturday and at home to Belarus a week tomorrow — as Capello wrestles with a dilemma over his first-choice goalkeeper, but Robinson could yet edge out Foster as third-choice. “I am on the fringes of the England squad at the moment and the majority of the time I’m getting in,” Robinson, the Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper, said.

The absentees from the England squad include Theo Walcott, one of six Arsenal players who scored against Robinson on Sunday, but the winger sounded entirely calm yesterday about his exclusion, having not played this season because of a back injury before his 21-minute run-out against Blackburn.

“England have a great squad with a great bunch of lads and it’s the same for Arsenal, with fantastic, world-class players,” Walcott said. “At the moment I’m thinking about trying to get back into the Arsenal team. I’m not really thinking about the World Cup. I will just try to keep playing well and see where it takes me.”