Bryan Robson has reassured Darren Carter that he still has an important role to play in Albion'srelegation battle, despite being left out of the 16-man squad for the last three Premiership fixtures.

Carter arrived at The Hawthorns for a fee of £1.5 million in the summer optimistic that he would land himself a regular starting spot in Robson's first XI.

However, the 21-year-old's two Premiership appearances thus far, against his former employers Birmingham and Wigan, have both been curtailed prematurely by substitution.

Despite Albion's travails this season Carter's only completed appearance was against Bradford in the Carling Cup and he appears to be well down the first team pecking order at present.

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Nevertheless, Robson believes that Carter has been a victim of circumstance when substituted, as opposed to any reflection on his performance.

"Darren has done okay so far and he has put in a couple of solid performances," said Robson.

"Because we have given away early goals in both of the games he has played we have been chasing the game and I have needed another striker, so that is why I brought him off."

"It has been a difficult season for all the midfielders and strikers so far because of the goals we have been giving away. We are having to chase games all the time but he is still very much in my thoughts at this time."

"Both he and Richard Chaplow are still learning the game to a certain degree and they know they can improve.

"However, the one thing both of them are doing is working very hard on the training pitch, which I am pleased about

"Darren chats to myself and Nigel Pearson a lot about his development because he wants to improve. He has a real desire to get into the team and be a regular in there."

There may well be a gaping hole for Carter to fill this weekend against Arsenal, as fellow midfielder Zoltan Gera is already considered a major doubt.

Albion's talented Hungarian international was withdrawn from his national squad by Albion for the latest round of World Cup qualifiers.

Robson and Lothar Matthaus (Hungary's coach) have had well-publicised differences of opinion over Gera's state of health, but Hungary's elimination should place their simmering feud on the back burner.

However, Matthaus' complaints are of no concern to Robson, as he is firmly focused on restoring Gera to the form of last season's vintage.

"Everything has been said as far as I am concerned and I am not prepared to get into a war of words with Lothar Matthaus," confirmed Robson.

"We weren't happy, which has been said, with the way Zoltan came back from the last set of World Cup qualifiers, but they are out of the World Cup anyway now.

"He has had a few injury problems and we need to get him settled down so he can play to his best.

"He is still nowhere near training yet and he has had an injection in his groin that we hope settles down towards the weekend, but he is very doubtful.

"Zoltan has had a groin situation since the summer and his hand has been a bit of a problem as well as he keeps picking up infections in it."

The constant bickering between club and country have added to Gera's stress levels and, allied to a series of niggling injuries, have left him at a low ebb.

Robson knows that a fit and in-form Gera will make a huge difference to Albion's level of performance and is optimistic that his injury woes will be firmly behind him once the effects of his groin injection wears off.

"Zoltan is a conscientious lad and it upsets him when he feels he isn't playing as well as he can do," continued Robson.

"He knows that his injuries need to settle down and we are hopeful that this injection will sort it out.

"We have had blood tests taken and he has been a bit run down. That is due to all the games he has played and it was a really hard physical year for him last season, what with the international fixtures and all the games he played for us.

"He also had a short summer and he has come back with a few injury problems, which hasn't helped him."

However, Robson is more optimistic on the fitness of Kevin Campbell, and hopes that the striker will fit to face his former club on Saturday.