RALPH Hasenhuttl is keeping faith with Alex McCarthy but sends a message to his squad: “Players who did not show their best performances now have to show up because three games not good in a row is definitely really not helpful to stay in the team.”

The 31-year-old former England international will have been left disappointed following both headed goals from Teemu Pukki and Grant Hanley at Norwich during the 2-1 defeat last weekend.

Speaking ahead of the visit to Liverpool, boss Hasenhuttl was asked about what pressure Fraser Forster is putting on the number one shot-stopper.

McCarthy has posted five clean sheets in 12 matches so far during the 2021-22 Premier League campaign with some impressive saves to boot.

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That’s why the Austrian has been assured in his faith in the former Reading keeper, but he has stated that three disappointing performances could be enough for any member of his squad to lose their shirt.

Daily Echo: Alex McCarthy has started every Premier League game this campaign (Pic: Stuart Martin)Alex McCarthy has started every Premier League game this campaign (Pic: Stuart Martin)

Assessing the McCarthy and Forster competition, he said: “Everybody is under pressure from somebody else otherwise we wouldn’t be doing our job.

“This is not only he goalkeeper but he has to feel that ‘there is somebody putting pressure on me and I have to bring the best performance’.

“Alex didn’t show the best performance last week, there is no discussion about it, he knows it, I know it, everybody knows it.

“On a normal day he makes the saves for the two goals, this he knows. This is the crucial situation for a goalkeeper, if he makes a mistake it is a goal.

Hasenhuttl continued: “But I remember also this season in the Watford game he had an unbelievable save to win us three points there, and he had also a few more games where he has unbelievable saves to keep us in the game.

“He has done a fantastic job this season so far, this is why I am happy but on the other side it would be the same if Fraser was my number one goalkeeper and Alex is putting pressure on him.

Daily Echo: Fraser Forster performed well during the EFL Cup contests (Pic: PA)Fraser Forster performed well during the EFL Cup contests (Pic: PA)

“I know that after one bad game changing it immediately would be horrible because the last thing you want to do is confuse them and not give him trust, but he has to show up – he also knows that one bad game can sometimes happen but you have to immediately show up.

“It is not only him but there was a few players who did not show their best performance and they now have to show up because three games not good in a row is definitely really not helpful to stay in the team.”