Toure said: "Shay is a massive player for us but we saw a young goalkeeper come on against Arsenal and he did really well. As a team we will protect him and try to help him and try to make him really confident for the three games coming. As a team we will help him and try to make him really confident. I am sure he can be really important for us."

Romford-born Taylor, a free signing last summer from Aston Villa, is hoping to return to training this week.

After eight years and at Arsenal - including winning a Premier League winners' medal in 2001-02 - Arsene Wenger praised the physical qualities of the former England Under 21 goalkeeper.

But he added: "His weaknesses are that he has not played a lot and he has not many games at the moment in the Premier League where the pressure is very high. So that is a little disadvantage. He's 29 so he has enough experience as a man but in the PL he maybe lacks a bit of experience. He was a big talent here and I let him go because he wanted to play."