Can Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland kick on after morale-boosting display?

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Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland has come under fire for some shaky performances at the start of this season.

Sam Johnstone was solid between the sticks for Aston Villa last season but financial concerns prevented the Villans from signing him permanently.

Instead, they brought in Nyland and Andre Moreira, with the former being preferred in goal.

But the Norway international made several errors early in the season, costing Aston Villa vital points.

He lost his place to Mark Bunn but was recalled when Steve Bruce was sacked and replaced by Dean Smith.

And Smith’s faith in him appears to have paid off after the 28-year-old produced his best performance to date at the weekend.

Aston Villa beat Derby 3-0 and Nyland was to thank for keeping the score level at 0-0 for so long.

This could be a real morale-boosting display for the ex-Ingolstadt stopper, who needed a confidence lift.

Aston Villa fans can draw parallels with Johnstone’s start to life in the West Midlands.

After joining on loan from Manchester United, the Englishman struggled in his first few games for the club.

But soon, he was a fans’ favourite at Villa Park, impressing with some dominant goalkeeping displays.

Can Nyland now follow in his footsteps and kick on after putting his slow start behind him?