Crystal Palace rocked by Sam Johnstone injury blow with England goalkeeper feared lost for season

Crystal Palace fear goalkeeper Sam Johnstone will miss the rest of the season after he suffered an elbow injury on England duty.

The Football Association (FA) confirmed on Sunday that Johnstone had pulled out of the England squad and he is due to see a specialist on Monday to discover the full extent of the problem.

His injury is a major blow for new Palace manager Oliver Glasner and leaves Johnstone in a race against time to be fit for the European Championship.

Johnstone seemed a cert be in the England squad as one of the understudies to Jordan Pickford in Germany this summer.

Gareth Southgate has promoted Burnley’s James Trafford from the Under-21s into his senior squad, while Rangers’ Jack Butland could be an option if Johnstone fails to prove his fitness.

Glasner had made Johnstone his No1 since taking over at Palace ahead of Dean Henderson, who will deputise for him at Selhurst Park.

Johnstone is set to miss the Premier League run-in after suffering an elbow injury in England training.

Palace have pulled eight points clear of the bottom three and should be safe from relegation danger after taking four points from their first three games under Glasner.

The Eagles face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, with Glasner likely to update on Johnstone’s fitness in his press conference later this week.