NEWCASTLE UNITED goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman is confident Jak Alnwick is capable of solving his side’s keeper crisis during their busiest spell of the year.

With Tim Krul already ruled out until the New Year, Newcastle’s goalkeeping worries worsened at the weekend when Rob Elliot damaged his thigh in the first half of the 2-1 win over Chelsea.

Elliot is expected to be unavailable for the next three weeks, by which time the Magpies will have faced Arsenal, Sunderland, Manchester United and Everton in the Premier League as well as taking on Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.

Newcastle officials could appeal to the Premier League for special dispensation to make an emergency loan, but any request would almost certainly be rejected because they still have two fit senior goalkeepers on their books.

As well as Alnwick, Newcastle are also the permanent employers of Karl Darlow, who moved from Nottingham Forest in the summer, only to be immediately sent back to the City Ground on loan. The terms of the loan spell do not enable the Magpies to recall the 24-year-old, but he still classifies as an available goalkeeper under Premier League rules.

Alnwick, a Hexham-born 21-year-old, replaced Elliot at the interval of Saturday’s victory, and produced two excellent second-half saves to prevent Chelsea extending their unbeaten start to the season.

If, as looks likely, he starts in this weekend’s game at Arsenal, he will be making his first senior start at any level since the FA Cup second-round defeat to Tamworth in December 2011 that marked the final game of a loan spell at Conference side Gateshead.

Back then, he saved a penalty, but conceded two sloppy goals from corners that led to him being dropped for Gateshead’s next game.

An appearance at the Emirates could hardly represent a bigger contrast to an outing at Gateshead’s International Stadium, but Woodman is confident Newcastle’s third-choice shot-stopper is up to the task.

“Jak’s an incredibly mature young man,” said Woodman, whose son, Freddie, is likely to be on the bench at Arsenal having recently completed a loan spell at Hartlepool United where he did not make a single senior appearance. “You wouldn’t think he’s just 21 talking to him or indeed watching him play out there.

“I wouldn’t have any worries about Jak because there is this calmness and assurance about him and I think against Chelsea, his team-mates saw that and it gave them confidence.

“He’s like a lot of young English players, bags of talent and good character but it’s all about getting the chance and as a goalkeeper, it’s even harder to be given that chance.

“If Jak plays at Arsenal, I’d have absolutely no worries about it. He’ll handle the occasion. In fact, he’ll relish it.

“Listen, I’ve been speaking highly about Jak for years. I tell people that when Jak eventually breaks onto the scene, they’re going to see a very good young goalkeeper.”

Woodman’s views will be consulted before Pardew makes a final decision over what to do ahead of the trip to North London, but the experienced coach insists it would be wrong for him to dictate what happens next.

When asked whether he would be instructing Pardew to pursue every available avenue with the Premier League authorities, he said: “That would be out of my hands.

“That’s not my job. I coach the goalkeepers. I see them day in day out and know what they can do and what they can’t do. That side of things is not really my responsibility.

“But Alan Pardew knows that I would not be at all worried about Jak playing Premier League football.

“We’re very lucky here at Newcastle to have a manager who plays young footballers. In circumstances you do not always want, like with Rob having to come off (against Chelsea), Jak has done his own prospects no harm at all.”