Crystal Palace 1-1 Newcastle: Daniel Munoz’s 94th-minute equaliser rescues a point for the Eagles after Marc Guehi scores an own goal and Alexander Isak is forced off with an injury

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi scored an own goal and team-mate Daniel Munoz missed an open one. 

So, for them to combine for a 94th-minute equaliser felt like the pair making good those earlier mistakes. But in truth, this was a bad game, and one nether side really deserved to win.

Newcastle scored without having a single effort on or off target. Palace were better – four shots on target – and the one that rescued a point came when Guehi’s cross was headed home by Munoz at the far post. It was the wing-back’s first goal for the club.

‘The feeling is not that it was a lucky point, the feeling is that we lost two points,’ said home boss Oliver Glasner.

Certainly, with an XG of just 0.02, it would have been unjust had Newcastle left South London with victory. Eddie Howe’s side offered close to nothing in attack, and the head coach admitted as much.

‘We had a lot of good in two thirds of the pitch, but nothing in the final third,’ he said. ‘It’s difficult to answer (why we’re struggling to score goals).’

Palace captain Marc Guehi (right) had earlier scored an own goal to put Newcastle 1-0 ahead

The own goal came following a fine low cross from Newcastle wideman Anthony Gordon

For large parts, most of those in attendance were left pondering the meaning of football. Selhurst Park is one of those old grounds with several pillars obstructing supporters’ view.

Come half-time, those behind the steel girders were the lucky ones. One radio commentator put out a shout for a plumber because, in his words, ‘this game has absolutely no flow’. 

A locksmith would have been handy too, especially for Newcastle.

Their first moment of promise led to the opening goal in the 53rd minute. They were, though, lucky to get to that point still level. 

Palace, by contrast, were unlucky that the chance that should have given them the lead fell to Munoz. 

It was a lightning quick break and, just when you expected the thunder of the home crowd in celebration, Munoz contrived to stab wide of an open goal from Ismaila Sarr’s low delivery.

It meant that the first half expired goalless, and not before time. Those present did not boo, but they must have felt like sighing. 

Newcastle’s build-up had been predictable and their final ball poor, a recurring theme in terms of their offensive output. 

Newcastle were dealt an early injury blow when Alexander Isak (third right) was forced off

Striker Isak pictured holding his right side before he was substituted off in the 21st minute

Munoz’s late header saw the Palace wing back score for the first time in 32 appearances

Former Genk star Munoz was visibly delighted as he celebrated his first Premier League goal

Palace’s late equaliser was enough to take them out of the Premier League’s relegation zone

After Saturday’s game, Palace were 17th in the table, while Newcastle ended the day in 10th

They lost striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the half, but he had seen only four touches.

So perhaps it was always going to be the way that it would need a Palace player to get the job done for them. And of all the players, Guehi, the defender they pursued all summer. 

It was a well-worked free-kick involving Lewis Hall, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon and, when the latter zipped a low cross into the goalmouth, it bounced off Guehi’s shin and in.

The visitors resisted well – Dan Burn, in particular – but they could hardly complain at the final outcome, as Munoz stole in on the shoulder of Joelinton with a goal to lift Palace out of the bottom three.

This, however, was a contest that barely belonged in the Premier League.