West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone credits his homework at Aston Villa for the penalty save he made against Norwich City striker Jordan Rhodes at the weekend.
Johnstone, who joined West Brom from Manchester United in the summer transfer window for an initial fee reported by BBC Sport to be worth £6.5 million, denied Rhodes from the penalty spot.
That save proved to be a key moment in the Championship match, as the Baggies won 4-3.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper has revealed that he could save the spot-kick from Rhodes – who joined Norwich on a season-long loan deal from Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the summer transfer window – as he had studied the 28-year-old Scotland international striker during his time at Villa.
Johnstone spent the second half of the 2016-17 season on loan at Villa from United and returned to Villa Park for another loan spell during the 2017-18 campaign.
“I’d seen Jordan’s penalties last season when I was at Villa and he favoured that way so I remembered that,” Johnstone told The Birmingham Mail. “It was homework from last year when he was at Sheffield Wednesday.
“I thought it’s early on in the season, he wants a goal, that’s probably his way. Homework from last year paid off.”
Positive start
West Brom have made a positive start to the 2018-19 Championship campaign, as they aim to bounce straight back to the Premier League.
The Baggies have picked up four points from their two league fixtures so far this season.
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