Just when it looked like Eberechi Eze’s deft header had stopped them in their tracks, up popped Vitaly Janelt at the very last moment to stretch Brentford’s unbeaten run to 11 matches and deny Crystal Palace their first victory of 2023.
Given that only two goals had been scored in the three previous Premier League meetings between these clubs, this was never likely to be a classic and so it proved.
But having taken the lead midway through the second half courtesy of a flowing move that was started and finished by Eze six minutes after he had been introduced off the bench, the sucker punch for Palace arrived courtesy of another substitute in the form of Germany midfielder Janelt.
It was cruel on Patrick Vieira’s side, who will now be looking nervously over their shoulders at a potential relegation dogfight.