Danny Welbeck came off the bench to rescue a deserved point for Albion with a brilliant late header as the derby at Selhurst Park finished 1-1 for the fourth successive season.
Jordan Ayew had put Palace in front on the stroke of half-time but Albion dominated the second half with Dean Henderson making some great saves before he was beaten by Welbeck’s towering header with eight minutes to go.
Albion will feel they had enough opportunities to win, especially in the second half, and the whistles around Selhurst Park imploring referee John Brookes to blow for full-time with Albion camped deep in Palace territory pretty much summed up the night.
Roberto De Zerbi made four changes to the side beaten by Arsenal on Sunday as Igor Julio, Joao Pedro, Jack Hinshelwood and Carlos Baleba came into the side.
There was the usual fervour in the stands at kick-off but on the pitch there was a decidedly low-key start. Albion saw plenty of the ball and pressed diligently but it wasn’t until the 20th minute before they threatened. It was a good chance too with Adingra forcing Dean Henderson to push his powerful 20-yard drive away after Jack Hinshelwood had laid the ball into his path.
Bart Verbruggen made his first save seven minutes later – a comfortable grab when Jean-Phillipe Mateta’s let fly from the edge of the box. The Palace striker was then booked for kicking the ball away having just conceded a free kick and Baleba followed him when he chopped down Will Hughes.
Palace had a good spell. Jan Paul van Hecke diverted Michael Olise’s corner back to Verbruggen after Ayew got a toe on the ball then Billy Gilmour produced a superb tackle to prevent Mateta from coming onto a loose ball 15 yards out.
Henderson was worked again on 40 minutes when he pushed away Pascal Gross’s swerving effort from the left-hand side of the box. After the early sparring the game had come to life and seconds before the break Palace broke through. Verbruggen’s pass out from the back was intercepted by Olise. He found Hughes in lots of space and with Albion stretched a far-post cross was nodded unmarked into the net by Ayew. There was barely time to restart.
Albion had work to do and De Zerbi reacted by bringing on Facundo Buonanotte and Welbeck at the break. Welbeck nearly made an instant impact with an angled header from Gross’s corner but the ball hit Ayew on the chest and Palace got it clear.
There was a much better Albion chance on 54 minutes when Dunk met Gross’s free kick with a free header but directed it a yard wide of goal. Both Albion subs were making an impact and Buonanotte led a break before finding Kaoru Mitoma, but his curling effort was comfortable for Henderson.
The Palace keeper made an outstanding save low to his left to stop Billy Gilmour’s low drive from sneaking inside the post then Hinshelwood skied his shot over after Gross played a terrific ball across the face of goal from the left. Albion were knocking on the door, and it nearly opened when Henderson failed to claim Gross’s deep cross and Marc Guehi got him out of trouble with a clearance up field as van Hecke looked to pounce.
Adam Lallana came on for Hinshelwood but Palace looked comfortable in their low block and on the counter they might have scored a second on 77 minutes when Mateta robbed Dunk and played in substitute Eberechi Eze, but van Hecke got across to make a brilliant block.
It looked like being one of those nights but then Welbeck struck. Gross picked up a pass from van Hecke on the right and the striker, 16 yards from goal, used the pace on the cross to brilliantly direct his header into the top right-hand corner.
Albion sensed they could find a winner and Joachim Andersen blocked Joao’s shot after more good work by Welbeck before Henderson’s punch clear ricocheted off Welbeck and dropped wide of an empty net. A point then, but Albion will feel it should have been three.
Albion: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood (Lallana 75), Dunk, Igor, Adingra (Buonanotte 45), Gilmour, Gross, Mitoma (Moder 83), Baleba (Welbeck 45), Joao.
Subs: Steele, Milner, Dahoud, Ferguson, Kavanagh.
Referee: John Brooks