West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United player ratings: Sam Johnstone 7, Mbaye Diagne 5; Jeff Hendrick 4, Joelinton 6

Tense goalless draw not enough for either team in battle to avoid relegation

WEST BROM RATINGS: Sam Johnstone - 7: Strong one-handed reaction save to stop Shelvey strike that he did not see until late, 30 minutes in. One very unconvincing punch on cross early in second half. Turned fierce Willock strike wide for corner and saved a weak Joelinton shot in second half. EPA

Darnell Furlong - 7: Coped comfortably with what little threat Newcastle offered down his flank. Tried pushing forward down right when got chance but got little joy out of Dummett. AP

Dara O'Shea - 7: Out-muscled and out-paced by Joelinton in one-on-one race in first half but Newcastle attacker failed to take advantage. Solid display overall. AP

Kyle Bartley - 7: Excellent interception when Joelinton attempted to pick out Fraser in box in first half and the captain led from the back for the Baggies. But it was at other end of pitch that they needed inspiration. AP

Conor Townsend - 6: Sloppy miss-kick gifted Newcastle corner that led to chance for Shelvey. Supplied great cross found Diagne but header easily saved and looked most likely to provide the killer ball into box. PA

Okay Yokuslu - 5: Turkish international on loan from Celta Vigo has done well since moving to West Brom but had little influence on game here. One awful shot from 35 metres out late on summed up performance. AP

Conor Gallagher - 6: At least provided some energy to the Baggies midfield, always looking for the ball and chasing down opponents when he hasn’t got it. But often lacked quality with final pass. AP

Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 6: Loan signing from Arsenal clearly has talent but struggled to stamp authority on game. One excellent surging run down right in last 20 minutes but couldn’t find a teammate with ball into box. PA

Matt Phillips - 6: Ambitious low strike from 20 metres out failed to trouble Dubravka, while one good ball right across penalty area was crying out for a goal-poacher in the middle. Blazed great chance well over bar 10 minutes after break. PA

Matheus Pereira - 5: First shot on target for Baggies after 20 minutes but didn’t connect properly and Dubravka saved easily. Flattered to deceive with most of his tricks and flicks not coming off. Only Baggies capable of providing a bit of flair but failed to shine here. Getty

Mbaye Diagne - 5: Cannot miss the big target man but wasn't his day. Volleyed chance from long throw high and wide via his shin just before half-hour. Saw weak header saved easily by Dubravka 10 minutes before break. Never looked like scoring. AP

SUBS: Hal Robson-Kanu – (On for Diagne 84’) N/A.

Karlan Grant – (On for Phillips 84’) N/A.

NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Martin Dubravka - 7: Good stop to turn Diagne header wide for a corner in first half and looked strong on crosses, although nearly caught out by Pereira corner with 10 minutes and had to turn it over bar for corner. Not the busiest of days, to say the least. PA

Emil Krafth - 5: Early effort from outside of deflected into Johnstone’s hands. Final ball can be frustratingly poor and had one embarrassingly bad shot high and wide from outside of box 10 minutes after break. AP

Jamaal Lascelles - 7: Big striker Diagne is a handful but the Magpies captain restricted the Senegalese to a couple of half chances. PA

Ciaran Clark - 7: An assured presence at the back, some great challenges and found Diagne's physicality little problem. PA

Paul Dummett - 7: Back in the starting line-up for his “experience” according to manager Bruce but swing and miss at ball that allowed West Brom to break was ominous early sign. But quickly recovered composure and was a rock defensively, producing one perfectly-timed sliding challenge to break down a Baggies counter-attack in first half. Felt like he won every tackle he made. Reuters

Isaac Hayden - 7: Mr Reliable for the Magpies. Breaks down opposition, simple but accurate distribution to teammates and the perfect midfield anchor man. Reuters

Jonjo Shelvey - 5: Went for 'Hail Mary' long balls from first few minutes and his passing radar seemed off kilter again. Side footed shot from short corner forced Johnstone into good save in first half. Can look very heavy-legged and slow at times, almost like a veteran in final year rather than player yet to hit 30. PA

Joe Willock - 7: Started the game well, looking to break forward between the lines and offered the game some all-too rare flashes of quality. Great strike from tight angle just before the hour stung the hands of Johnstone and won the midfield battle with fellow Arsenal loanee Maitland-Niles. Getty

Jeff Hendrick - 4: The story of Hendrick’s season for Newcastle, absolutely no creativity or influence in midfield and games just seem to pass him by. Unhappy to be hooked before hour mark but can have little argument and was lucky to be handed starting role. Getty

Ryan Fraser - 6: Found space down left early on but failed to pick out anyone in box with low cross, which summed up his game as whole. Buzzed around for Magpies but lacks cutting edge of injured Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin. Reuters

Joelinton - 6: Showed great strength in first half to brush off O’Shea to bare down on goal but tried to square it to Fraser instead of shooting. Made himself a nuisance to the Baggies but one powder-puff shot with 20 minutes to go was perfect example of his lack of goalscorer’s instinct. Reuters

SUBS: Dwight Gayle – (On for Hendrick 57’) 5: Striker was straight into action and set up chance for Willock but that was as good as it got and was given no service to test out his goal-poaching skills. AFP

Andy Carroll - (On for Fraser 90+3') N/A

West Bromwich Albion slipped further towards the Premier League trapdoor after a tense draw with relegation rivals Newcastle United.

The Baggies are eight points from safety following Sunday's 0-0 stalemate.

Mbaye Diagne missed Albion's best chances while Sam Johnstone denied Joe Willock to leave the Magpies four points above the bottom three, although Fulham could could that gap in later game against Liverpool.

Albion manager Sam Allardyce had labelled the game as must-win but the Baggies did not do enough against their fellow strugglers and, with 10 games left, are surely destined for an instant return to the Championship.

The Newcastle soap opera arrived at The Hawthorns for its latest episode after Matt Ritchie's midweek bust-up with manager Steve Bruce.

With the foundations of the squad again tested the Magpies needed to hold their nerve and they at least stopped Albion gaining ground in the race for survival and climbed to 16th, a point above Brighton.

A point is unlikely to take much heat off Bruce and the Magpies, who have won just twice in their last 15 games, continue to lack inspiration without the injured Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson.

Bruce said: “It certainly wasn’t a classic was it? We are disappointed we haven’t come here and won but we always knew it was going to be difficult considering the circumstances.

"We’ve had a difficult week and I don’t want to regurgitate it but the players have showed they are on the same hymn sheet as everyone else.

"With the problems we have had not just during the week but with injuries I thought they did as well as they could."

Allardyce said: “I can’t blame the lads for the quality of the effort they showed with playing on Thursday night but unfortunately that final piece of the jigsaw isn’t there at the moment.

"So the task now is almost every game has to be a win to get out of the trouble we are in."