Jerzy Dudek will complete his three-match stint as Liverpool's stand-in goalkeeper against Arsenal tonight, hoping that his period of cover for the suspended Spanish ‘keeper Jose Reina will mean that he retains his international place for Poland for the World Cup Finals.

Dudek, who, since the arrival of Jose Reina has surprisingly been frozen out at Anfield, even after his heroic display in the Champions League final in Istanbul last year, hopes that his efforts against Charlton, in which he was responsible for giving away a penalty, the win against Wigan, and in tonight's rearranged Premiership fixture against Arsenal will also persuade his club manager, Rafael Benitez, to keep him as first-choice goalkeeper.

However, he appreciates that this is unlikely, with the present form of the Spanish ‘keeper Reina.

“I'll do my best and after that we will see,” said Dudek, who tried to negotiate a move during last month's transfer window. “It's up to the boss.

“The manager told me before the Chelsea game, (in which Reina was harshly sent off), that there were a lot of games coming up and said, “I promise you that you will be playing in some of them.” He told me he understood my frustration and anger at not playing, but that my future is here at Liverpool.

“He also told me that if I do well then it will be no problem at all being prepared for the World Cup. I've been assured that I'll get some games, some others with the reserves, and will be fit and fresh by the time the tournament comes around.”

Benitez is still perplexed at having lost his first-choice goalkeeper Reina for three matches for the faintest of contacts with Chelsea winger Arjen Robben at a time when dangerous challenges are frequently going unpunished by referees.

The Liverpool manager mentioned of two offences in the same Premiership match last weekend, and he was almost certainly referring to the two-footed tackles of Bolton's Abdoulaye Faye and Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini, which went unpunished, and has recently called for more severe action from referee’s in order to protect players.

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