SAM Johnstone’s Euro 2024 dreams could be scuppered by an elbow injury that forced him to withdraw from the England squad this week.
Goalkeeper Johnstone may not play for Crystal Palace again this season after picking up the injury while on international duty.
Johnstone, 31, was one of three players to leave Gareth Southgate’s camp, along with captain Harry Kane and Harry Maguire, before Tuesday night’s 2-2 friendly draw against Belgium.
Southgate called up Burnley’s James Trafford from the under-21s after Johnstone left the group.
Johnstone has had tests on his injury and there are doubts whether he will return before the summer.
Former West Brom and Aston Villa stopper Johnstone has been Palace’s No.1, keeping Dean Henderson, who has one England cap, out of the team.
Johnstone has been back-up to Jordan Pickford for England.
It adds to Southgate’s injury problems ahead of the summer tournament in Germany. Pickford is set to be the first-choice at the tournament, with Aaron Ramsdale providing cover. Ramsdale, though, lost his Arsenal place to Spanish keeper David Raya this season. Newcastle United’s Nick Pope, meanwhile, has been out injured since the start of December.
It is also a blow for Eagles boss Oliver Glasner. Palace are not yet safe from relegation, though have a relatively comfortable eight-point gap to the bottom three with ten games left.
Henderson will take over from Johnstone in goal for Palace. That only leaves 30-year-old Remi Matthews as back-up. Matthews has played just one game for the club since he joined from Sunderland in 2021. Matthews spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Scottish Premiership St Johnstone.
Meanwhile, Southgate also saw Manchester City’s John Stones go off injured in the tenth minute against Belgium.
Southgate defended his decision after Stones played 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Brazil three days earlier.
“We measure everything and the first game for him wasn’t a game that was a high level in terms of the intensity,” Southgate said. “We have done exactly what Holland did with Virgil van Dijk tonight. What Norway did with Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard starting them again. Holland started [City’s Nathan] Ake again [against the Netherlands].
“It only ever seems to fall on us when there is a question around that. Of course we are disappointed if he’s got a problem. It seems to be in the adductor area so we’ll have to wait and see. John also came in on the back of not having played for two weeks so it is not an overload situation. I hate sending players back to their clubs if they are not fully fit.”
