The 21-year-old joined the Black Cats on loan from the Premier League side on a season-long loan, but found game time hard to come by before Johnson took the reins at the Stadium of Light.
Johnson, who was handed the Sunderland job at the start of December, has been impressed with what he has seen from the defender.
The 39-year-old insists that he likes the youngster’s personality and has been impressed with the way he has seen Sanderson perform in training.
The manager also tipped Sanderson to have a bright future ahead of him due to his potential.
“Dion has been good”, Johnson said at a press conference.
“He’s been consistently good in training and I like his personality.
“Every time he has been called upon, he’s done extremely well.
“He is a player of high talent and potential.”
Sanderson has featured in eleven games for the Black Cats so far this season, nine of them coming in the league.
Sunderland are in League One action this afternoon when they entertain Steve Evans’ Gillingham outfit at the Stadium of Light, and the visitors head into the clash on the back of a 4-1 dismantling of Crewe Alexandra.
