Express & Star

West Brom's Sam Johnstone thriving on stopping the best

In-form Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is relishing the adrenaline that comes with keeping out the Premier League’s top hitmen.

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Johnstone has been in inspired form in recent weeks and helped Slaven Bilic’s men to a first league win since promotion back to the top flight against Sheffield United. The Baggies shot-stopper, who spent time on loan at Villa from Manchester United, admitted the frustration at some early-season results but said the step up to the Premier League would always be ‘massive’.

“Personally, I’m very proud to be playing in the Premier League, it’s something you dream about,” Johnstone, 27, said. “To be playing well is brilliant. It was always going to be a different set of circumstances from last season where we were top of the table and I’m going to be busier now we’re playing against world class strikers.

“Hopefully as a team we can take each performance into the next one and progress. That’s been frustrating. We’ve played well and the Tottenham game we played well and just didn’t manage to do it, the same with the United game.

“You have to take it into the next game. It feels so much better when you make saves and get something from the game.

“These players can do something out of nothing and you always have to be switched on and alert. You want that adrenaline of playing against Vardy and Kane and so on, you want to test yourself against the best and see how you do.”

Johnstone was loaned out to seven different clubs while coming through at Old Trafford, including Walsall and Villa.

He added: “I’ve wanted to be here for a few years. I have to make the most of being here, to try our best and keep West Brom in the Premier League.”