Carson spent last season on loan at Aston Villa (Getty)

West Brom's new goalkeeping signing Scott Carson says he must be at the top of his game to steal a starting place away from Dean Kiely.

Although the club spent around �3m to bring him to the Hawthorns from Liverpool, the England keeper is taking nothing for granted.

"Dean's a top lad and a really experienced keeper," he told BBC WM.

"I'm only 22 and he's been around the block. He's played internationals and he knows his stuff."

Baggies boss Tony Mowbray has taken a look at both keepers during the pre-season programme, with Czech Michal Danek also waiting in the wings.

"From what Tony Mowbray has said to me, he's going to make the decision before the Arsenal game," Carson noted.

"He's going to want to see what we do in pre-season, and there's one game left, so it's up to me to work hard and do as well as I can."