West Ham facing keeper crisis

West Ham are looking urgently for goalkeeping cover following a training ground injury to England Under-21 star Stephen Bywater.

The Upton Park club were forced to put England goalkeeper David James on the bench for their 3-2 victory at Ipswich yesterday, although he has been out of action since August with a serious knee ligament injury.

James, who joined West Ham from Aston Villa for £3.5 million in the summer, begins his comeback tomorrow night in a reserve team match against Charlton.

However, it will be at least another couple of weeks before he is fit enough to challenge Shaka Hislop for the first-team spot.

With Bywater breaking a bone in his hand and West Ham's other senior goalkeeper, Canadian international Craig Forrest, recovering from testicular cancer, manager Glenn Roeder today admitted he needs to sign an experienced goalkeeper on loan as quickly as possible. The West Ham manager said: "It wasn't ideal to have David on the bench at Ipswich but we had no alternative."

Forrest was at Portman Road to watch West Ham win their third successive Premiership match. He is to undergo chemotherapy but expects to make a complete recovery.

Roeder is also continuing his search for a central defender after confirming that he will not be offering a deal to Nigerian international Taribo West.

West Ham wanted to take the former AC Milan player on a short-term deal but today Roeder said: "We did talk last week but the deal is not going to happen and we'll keep looking."

Roeder also hopes that West Ham's improvement in form will help convince Trevor Sinclair to withdraw his transfer request.

Sunderland manager Peter Reid has made two bids, the latest of £7m, but West Ham want at least £10m and Roeder said: "I hope Trevor decides to stay."