Sam Johnstone on ‘frustrating’ wait for Crystal Palace start – and ‘great win’ at Leeds United

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Sam Johnstone has admitted he understood why Vicente Guaita’s performances meant he had to wait for a chance to make his first Premier League start for Crystal Palace.

The 30-year-old keeper signed for the Eagles on a free transfer in the summer after leaving Championship side West Brom, penning a four-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Johnstone had been limited to just cup starts for the South Londoners – playing against Oxford United and Newcastle in the EFL Cup – with 36-year-old Guaita the regular number one between the posts during Patrick Vieira’s tenure.

The three-time capped England international Johnstone made his first Premier League appearance for the Eagles in Sunday’s 5-1 win at Leeds United.

“It’s been difficult but understandable,” Johnstone told the South London Press, when asked about waiting for his chance in the top flight.

“Vicente is a really good goalkeeper – we both get on with each other. He’s been at the club a long time and plays well every week – I couldn’t complain.

“On the other hand, it was frustrating not to play when I had been so used to playing.

“I’m just happy I got the game today (Sunday) and the win.”

Johnstone earned praise from chairman Steve Parish and boss Roy Hodgson after the game for his performance at Elland Road, making seven stops in the first half to keep the scoreline at 1-1 heading into half-time.

The Eagles scored four second-half goals – a brace from Jordan Ayew and a goal each from Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard – to equal their record Premier League win and move six points clear of the bottom three.

“It was a great win for the boys and the club,” added Johnstone. “I have had a wait a while to get the game. It probably couldn’t have gone any better. There were some really important saves in the first half and a win.

“It was a big game – Leeds is never an easy place to come.

“We were under it a bit in the first half but we found our rhythm in the second half and we were unbelievable going forward.”

Johnstone is set for an extended run in the Palace starting line-up after Guaita picked up a calf injury which is set to sideline the Spanish shotstopper for up to three weeks.

The Eagles head to bottom-of-the-table Southampton tomorrow, looking to win three games on the bounce for the first time this season.

“It would be nice to get a run of games,” explained the former Manchester United academy keeper.

“We will see what happens. When I’m playing, I just want to do my best for the club and get some points on the board.

“We have a good team. We need to keep playing as we did in the second half against Leeds and take that into each game. There are not many games left – we need to make them count.”

Palace sacked Vieira following a run of games which saw them claim only one win – a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve – in 16 games.

Palace have won back-to-back games in the league since Hodgson, 75, returned on a deal until the end of the season. They have recorded 47 shots and scored seven goals without Wilfried Zaha on the pitch.

“A lot of the lads know Hodgson from previous times – he has just freshened us up and kicked the lads into gear a little bit,” said Johnstone.

“We look a bit more solid as a base, and going forward, we’re dangerous – which we knew anyway.

“He [Hodgson] been great since he came in. He’s a really good coach and a really great man, along with his staff.”