Fulham boss Chris Coleman has told Edwin van der Sar he faces a fight to win back his place from veteran Welsh international goakeeper Mark Crossley.

Crossley, 35, has kept clean sheets in both games he has played since replacing van der Sar.

“Whoever has the shirt, as long as they play well, they will hang on to it,” Coleman said.

“It is the same across the board and Edwin understands. I’d be a hypocrite to leave him out and I won’t do that.”

van der Sar, 34, has been with Fulham for three years and is still Holland’s first-choice keeper.

He is out of contract at Craven Cottage at the end of the season and talks over a new deal have stalled.