‘Lot of credit’ – Roy Hodgson assesses Sam Johnstone’s first Premier League start for Crystal Palace

Roy Hodgson says that Sam Johnstone took his chance in Crystal Palace’s 5-1 win at Leeds United on Sunday.

The England stopper, who was making his first Premier League start since joining the club in the summer on a free transfer from West Brom, made seven stops in the first half.

Former Aston Villa stopper Johnstone was handed his first start in the league with Vicente Guaita missing due to a calf injury.

The Spanish keeper is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks.

Johnstone’s only starts this season have come in the EFL Cup, playing in the second-round win at Oxford and the third-round defeat at Newcastle.

“Sam deserves an awful lot of credit,” said Hodgson.

“Having had to battle through injuries and having had to sit and watch Vicente Guaita playing on a regular basis in front of him, this was a great opportunity for him to show what a good, quality goalkeeper he is. 

“He took that. That’s all we can hope for.

“We know he’s good. We see him in training and know his character. Today, he really produced the saves that you want him your goalkeeper to produce when you’re playing away from home at a team like Leeds, who are in a relegation battle with yourselves.