Sam: Top-2 finish is not out of reach
PROMOTION remains a realistic target goalkeeper Sam Johnstone claimed despite seeing West Brom lose ground with the Championship’s top two.
Successive home draws – against Brentford and Villa – combined with back-to-back wins for Norwich City and Leeds United has opened a gap. Albion, who face promotion rivals Sheffield United on Friday, are now seven points adrift of league leaders Norwich and six behind Leeds.
Johnstone is not panicking and feels Albion are in a good position to challenge from in the New Year.
“We are pleased with our form and I still believe we have one of the strongest squads in the Championship,” he said.
“Promotion is still the target and that’s all we’re thinking about as a group of players. I believe we have the quality and we just need to keep plugging away.”
Those two draws checked momentum after a run of three straight wins. But it’s still five unbeaten for West Brom.
And Johnstone, who has started all 21 Championship matches this season, insists the players head into the festive fixtures in good spirits after the late Villa equaliser.
“It would have been hard to take had we not got the result on Friday,” the 25-year-old said. “It was a pretty even game contested between two good teams and we were worth our point.
“I know there has been a lot of talk about Jay Rodriguez’s goal but I remember when we were on the other end of one at Middlesbrough – you have to get on with it and in football things tend to even themselves out.”