‘That’s all that matters’ – England keeper Johnstone on Crystal Palace’s win against Wolves
BY ANDREW MCSTEEN
A 3-2 win at Selhurst Park against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday pushed Crystal Palace into seventh place in the Premier League.
But a 90+6 goal from Matheus Cunha made for a nervous ending for the home side, who had led 3-1 following a brace from Odsonne Edouard and a strike from Eberechi Eze.
“We got three points [and] that’s all that matters,” said Eagles’ goalkeeper Sam Johnstone after the game.
“It was never going to be an easy game but in the end, we fought and got three points. Some things didn’t really go our way. It probably should have been a 3-1 game. They scored right at the end, but the lads dug in and got the result, seeing it out at the end.
“It’s tough, but that’s football,” added Johnstone about conceding at the end to Cunha.
“It’s in the Premier League, it kind of came from nowhere. We probably have to learn a bit from our performance but we put it to one side.
“We’ve got some good players in our team [and] although we probably didn’t show it today, everyone can see we’ve got a good team and we have to keep going.”
The SE25 side do not play again until 16 September when they take on Aston Villa in the Midlands, but Johnstone, along with teammates Eze and Marc Guéhi, will be in international action before then, with England.
Under boss Gareth Southgate they are part of the squad that will take part in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier against Ukraine in Poland next Saturday (September 9) and a friendly against England next Tuesday.
For Johnstone, the call-up continues his run in the national team after being recalled to the squad last June after appearing previously in September 2021.
“It’s brilliant. it’s such a proud moment to be called up for England,” said the 30-year-old.
“Every single time I get that text [that] I’m going (to join the squad), it’s proud for me and my family, it’s great.
“You have to perform at club level to be able to put yourself in the hat to get the call-up and thankfully I’ve been doing that and I hope it continues all season. I’ll go there tomorrow (to join the squad at St. George’s Park), get some good training and good experience again and then come back.”
PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD
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