STEVE Harper will go under the knife with manager Alan Pardew telling him: “Don’t rush back.”

Harper has been pencilled in for a minor knee operation after the joint swelled last week. No timescale has been put on his return, but Pardew will not be distraught if his first-choice goalkeeper does not play again this season.

It is not that Newcastle United’s manager does not rate the 36-year-old – far from it.

But with the team having reached the 40 point-mark which all but guarantees Premier League safety, he recognises an opportunity to better assess Tim Krul’s suitability as Harper’s long-term successor, and a chance for the senior man to properly get over a problem which has been troubling him for some time.

Having made an impressive first league appearance of 2011, the Dutch Under-21 international will continue at Blackpool tomorrow.

“It’s a big chance for Tim,” said Pardew. “I keep getting linked with goalies but I’m not going to bring one in (this summer) – not a senior one anyway. Steve, Tim and Fraser (Forster) are all going to be vying for that jersey and Tim’s got an early opportunity to stake his claim. He did a good job in the first game.

“It’s fair to say we’ll be cautious with Steve when we’re bringing him back.”

Hexham-born Forster is on a season-long loan at Scottish Premier League side Celtic. Pardew knows he will not be able to keep three high-calibre goalkeepers happy next term, so plans to use pre-season to decide which to loan out next term.

Forster has spent the last two years at other clubs – Norwich City, Bristol Rovers and the Bhoys – while Krul had earlier spells at Carlisle United and Falkirk.