KELVIN Davis has heaped praise on Fraser Forster by labelling him one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League as he attempts to keep a fourth consecutive cleansheet at Arsenal tonight.

The veteran stopper has been thrilled with the way Forster has been able to rediscover his best form after long-term injury and insists that it is no coincidence that Saints have gone onto three successive wins with him back between the sticks.

“First of all, I was delighted for Fraser to be back playing football,” the 39-year-old said.

“Adding on to that, the fact that he comes back in and we win three on the spin with three clean sheets. It can’t be a coincidence.

“I’m really pleased for him. I think a lot of him. I was very disappointed when he got injured because he was certainly showing signs then of what he can do for this football club over the next ten years.

“That’s the reality of it and I think the fans had turned a corner in terms of that they were starting to understand his capabilities as well.

“It just came at that moment and for him to come back and just pick up the reins were he left off, was great for him and great for the club.”

The ex-Celtic custodian has kept clean sheets in wins over Watford, West Brom and Manchester United since his long-awaited comeback from a patellar tendon injury.

The 27-year-old’s return coincided with a change in formation, which saw Ronald Koeman’s side revert to having five at the back.

As he eyes up another shut-out at title-chasing Arsenal tonight, Davis has analysed the reason for the upturn in fortunes since the England stopper’s comeback.

“It’s not always a straight-forward answer. Sometimes players react differently to different people,” he explained.

“It’s not a comparison between Fraser, Maarten (Stekelenburg), Paulo (Gazzaniga) and myself, it’s just that the dynamics of the team suits Fraser and Fraser suits them.

“It maybe that on top of that we’ve had a change of system at the same time, which has fallen into place for Fraser. But the bottom line is that he’s one of the best goalkeepers in England, one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.”

Although, as reported, Forster hasn’t got England and Euro 2016 on his mind, Davis admits that Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson should select the Saints stopper.

“I’d be very surprised if he weren’t joining up with the England squad. He will be very focused on finishing the season strongly for us,” he said.

“It will be up to Roy and possibly Dave Watson (Saints’ goalkeeping coach) to decide whether he goes or not.”

Forster will be aiming to keep four successive league clean sheets for the first time in his Saints career tonight.

The last time the club had four successive Premier League shut-outs was back in September and October 2013.

On that occasion, Artur Boruc kept clean sheets against West Ham (0-0), Liverpool (1-0), Crystal Palace (2-0) and Swansea City (2-0).

Forster kept 15 clean sheets in his 30 Premier League appearances for Saints last season, including the 14 minutes he played against Burnley in March before his unfortunate injury.