Sam Johnstone shone again for Aston Villa while Robbin Ruiter struggled for Sunderland in a home defeat to Sheffield United.
As the boos rang around Villa Park following another dire performance, one player could at least look back on his performance with an element of pride.
Aston Villa were held to a frustrating goalless draw with struggling Brentford on Saturday afternoon but one point could have been none if it was not for the superb reflexes of an inspired Sam Johnstone.
The Manchester United loanee made three top class saves, including two to deny Bees’ Man of the Match Ollie Watkins in a performance which once again marked him out as one of England’s most promising young goalkeepers.
And it is not the first time Johnstone, who impressed during an initial loan spell at Villa in the second half of last season, has saved his under performing side from further embarrassment.
Although at least Villa can take some meagre degree of solace from the fact that they are still sitting above another former Premier League giant struggling to adapt to the second tier. Sunderland, after six Championship games, are 20th in the table with just five points to their name.
A 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday was arguably the most disappointing since Simon Grayson took charge at the Stadium of Light. Though, sitting just two places and a point behind Villa, you wonder if their places would have been switched if Johnstone had moved to Sunderland rather than the Midlands.
The Daily Mail reported in June that Sunderland had identified Johnstone as a potential replacement for Jordan Pickford this summer but, after Villa got their man, have had to make do with free-agent 30-year-old Robbin Ruiter (above) instead.
And Sunderland supporters could be forgiven for looking across at Villa Park with envy as Ruiter, who was released by FC Twente in the summer, laid claim to another shaky display against The Blades.
Beaten at his near post by a Clayton Donaldson strike, there is a real gulf in quality between the goalkeeper Sunderland wanted and the one they got.
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