Johnstone thriving at Crystal: Clean-sheet record & work ethic to stay on top

“We were close many times,” said Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag. “We created at least three clear chances to score,” said Fulham’s Marco Silva. “If anyone deserved to win it was us, considering the chances,” said Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper.

None of their teams were able to find a way past Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. It reflects his fine form. Since making his Premier League debut for Palace in April, he has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the competition.

Johnstone was recently rewarded with his first England cap in two years, keeping yet another clean sheet in the win over Australia. He has yet to concede a goal in any of his four appearances for the national team under Gareth Southgate.

These performances are proving enough to keep out summer signing and fellow England international Dean Henderson at Selhurst Park. A new contract is imminent. It is testament to a work ethic that has surprised even seasoned observers.

Gary Walsh, the former Manchester United goalkeeper, certainly falls into that category. He spent five-and-a-half years working with Johnstone as his goalkeeper coach at Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion. "His attitude is massive," Walsh tells Sky Sports.

"He has his own chef. He does plyometrics in the gym. He wants to do things right. He is someone who wants to look back on his career and know that he did everything he could possibly do. Anything you throw at him, he will just get on with it.

"That is the big thing with him. Every single day in training, he tries to get the best out of it. They instilled that in him at a young age at Manchester United and it means that his standards are so high in every session. That mentality is a huge part of it with him."

Walsh