Sam Johnstone on Dean Henderson battle for Crystal Palace 'number 1' position
- Published
The Football News Show: Is Dean Henderson 'rivalry' helping Sam Johnstone?
England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone says he remains Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson's first choice despite the £20m signing of Dean Henderson.
A major talking point of this season so far has been Mikel Arteta's approach to rotation between first-team keepers Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya at Arsenal.
Ramsdale said this week that the "attention" on his battle for the starting positions with former Brentford keeper Raya is "strange" and that he fears for his England future.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Johnstone says being in a very similar "unusual" position with two senior goalkeepers directly competing for one spot "does play on your mind".
With Henderson - who Palace signed from Manchester United in the summer - currently injured, Johnstone has been a regular starter so far this season and has kept a Premier League-high four clean sheets.
The 30-year-old kept another at Wembley when England beat Australia 1-0 last week and says he is in the best form of his career.
Johnstone has been selected in the last two England squads and is well placed to be included in manager Gareth Southgate's group for Euro 2024 with just two international breaks left before the tournament.
"It's tough but I feel like I've thrived off it a little bit with the situation at our club," Johnstone said.
"It probably does play on your mind a little bit, of course it does. Everyone has their ego and wants to be the person to be playing and not lose their position.
"Roy was great with me. He spoke to me and reiterated that I had done well for him and that for as long as I was playing well and not injured then I was his number one.
"Obviously, that was good to hear for me to know that he still trusted me even though the club had spent a lot of money on Dean."
Johnstone, Henderson and Ramsdale all know each other from the England set-up. Johnstone and Ramsdale "spoke briefly" about their situations on England duty last week, with Johnstone saying: "It's probably tougher for him [Ramsdale] as it's out there every day in the media, but he's dealt with it well. Inside he will probably be gutted but he'll have that burning feeling to try and get his place back and to perform."
On his battle with Henderson, Johnstone added: "It's tough. I'm there for Dean and when he's fit we push each other and the club have two England goalkeepers on the books.
"We are mates as well. Deep down he will be thinking 'I want to play' and deep down I'm thinking 'I don't want to lose my place, I'm going to play and I'm going to do everything to stay in the team'. Then we'll sit next to each other on the coach and sit in the dressing room and be mates.
It's tough for whoever does not play. At the moment I have the shirt, I'm playing well, enjoying my time and that's all I can do."