Match Report. Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle United 1

Anthony Gordon
Published
2 days ago
Team
Men

Daniel Muñoz's stoppage time header denied Newcastle United all three points as they drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Eddie Howe's side could have fallen behind in the first half at Selhurst Park when Muñoz missed a glorious opportunity to put the hosts - who had looked likelier to open the scoring - ahead.

But the Eagles were punished soon after the restart when England defender Guehi turned Anthony Gordon's low cross into his own net after an excellent set piece routine from the Magpies.

United weren't at their fluent best in South London, but looked to have the points in the bag until the 94th minute when Muñoz headed in a Guehi cross, with Nick Pope - who had had a superb game for the visitors - unable to keep it out in what was a bitterly disappointing finish for the Magpies.

Howe brought Dan Burn back into the starting 11 on his return from suspension and also opted to deploy Sandro Tonali in midfield, where he occupied a withdrawn role in the early stages of a fragmented first half which began with the hosts looking bright.

After surviving a couple of injury scares - with Joelinton, Joe Willock and Alexander Isak all going down in need of treatment inside the opening quarter of an hour - United defender Fabian Schär did well to halt an attack from the hosts which saw Eberechi Eze fed by Ismaila Sarr before the Swiss defender recovered well to make an important clearance.

Magpies head coach Howe was forced into a change midway through the half with Isak succumbed to injury after his earlier knock in a collision with Tyrick Mitchell, with Harvey Barnes introduced in his place. The United number 11 was involved immediately but the visitors struggled to carve out any real goalscoring opportunities against a resolute Palace side with just one win in their last six Premier League outings.

In a stop-start first half, it was Oliver Glasner's men who posed the greater threat. Trevoh Chalobah's speculative 30-yard drive flew over Pope's crossbar before the Newcastle stopper had to be at his best to keep out Sarr's poked effort with his leg moments later. It was a fine stop from the England international, who must have thought his side were about to fall behind minutes later. The opportunity was a golden one for defender Muñoz, who somehow missed the target from point-blank range after Sarr had picked him out in the six-yard box at the end of a swift counter-attack.

It was a big let-off for Newcastle, who had won their last two league games before Monday's 2-0 reverse at home to West Ham, but they came out with renewed intent after the restart and were rewarded for it just eight minutes into the second half. It came after a brilliantly-worked free kick routine involving Lewis Hall, Gordon and Tonali; Hall fed the Italian playmaker, whose first-time ball into Gordon's path gave him a sight of goal from a tight angle. The Magpies winger's low cross across the face of goal was a dangerous one to deal with and Palace couldn't handle it, with Guehi inadvertently turning the ball into his own net.

The goal lifted United's spirits but the hosts looked to respond quickly. Sarr was involved once again, forcing a good save from Pope before Muñoz met the follow-up. His strike was goalbound but Newcastle were indebted to defender Burn, who got across brilliantly to prevent the equaliser with a terrific block on the goalline.

The former Brighton man's intervention was a vital one and while clear-cut chances remained at a premium, the visitors' rearguard had to stay alert. Guehi headed over from a corner before Pope was called into action again to repel a Sarr drive at the near post and just seconds later, frontman Jean-Philippe Mateta blazed over when well placed after the ball fell kindly for him from a corner.

Howe introduced Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff for the final 15 minutes, while Glasner sent on Eddie Nketiah and Jeffrey Schlupp in the hope his charges could find a way past a stubborn Newcastle defence and a defiant Pope - and deep into added time, they managed it, when Muñoz met Guehi's deep cross and his last-gasp header squeezed agonisingly past the former Burnley goalkeeper to earn the Eagles a share of the spoils.

The result keeps the Magpies in tenth place in the table ahead of a typically hectic December schedule, which begins with Wednesday night's visit of league leaders Liverpool.

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