West Brom 2 Aston Villa 2: Paul Lambert insists it was impossible to start returning trio

The game changed when Lambert introduced Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Fabian Delph before the hour mark with Villa two goals down and facing a derby defeat

Paul Lambert has insisted that he couldn't have started Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor or Fabien Delph after the trio returned from injury against West Brom (GETTY IMAGES)

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert insisted it would have been impossible for him to start Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Fabian Delph after the trio came on as substitutes to help his side come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at West Brom.

The Barclays Premier League contest between the midlands rivals began disastrously for the visitors, with Albion frontman Shane Long netting in the third and 11th minutes, his second strike coming after he had pounced on a misplaced pass by Villa's Leandro Bacuna.

But Lambert's team - given fresh impetus by the 57th-minute introduction of Weimann, Agbonlahor and Delph, who were all back in the squad after being sidelined by injury recently - recovered impressively after the break.

Karim El Ahmadi volleyed in from a Weimann header in the 67th minute and Baggies defender Goran Popov then inadvertently nodded Agbonlahor's 76th-minute cross to Ashley Westwood, who lashed a fine, swerving strike into the net from distance to level the match.

Asked if it would have been too much of a gamble to play the trio from the start, Lambert said: "Yes - we couldn't do it. It was an absolute impossibility."

He added: "The three lads that came on had only started to train again on Friday and it was a big ask to put them in.

"I trusted the team I picked at the beginning to go and perform, and I always will do that and never have any regrets about any decision.

"But we needed a goal at a certain time of the game. I was actually going to put them on a bit later, but then we had a chat at half-time and decided to make the changes pretty quick. We threw them on and thankfully it worked."

Lambert admitted his side had not been good enough before the interval, but hailed their second-half display as "excellent" and had particular praise for Westwood, who he felt was "outstanding" overall.

West Brom head coach Steve Clarke, meanwhile, was left rueing Stephane Sessegnon's squandering of a glorious 19th-minute chance to make it 3-0, as well as Albion's defending for the two Villa goals.

Asked about Long, Clarke said he felt the Republic of Ireland striker, scorer of four goals in his last four games for club and country, had shown that on top form, he is "a player to be reckoned with."

And he expressed his confidence that West Brom will sit down with Long, who had looked set to join Hull earlier this season, for contract talks.

As for a new deal for Albion forward Saido Berahino - who was an unused substitute on Monday and wrote on Twitter "time to be selfish" - Clarke said: "I didn't see the tweet.

"I thought the contract was almost done.

"As far as I know, the club have made him a really, really good offer and we're just waiting on his agents sorting it out.

"I don't think there is too much more negotiation to be done.

"He just has to put pen to paper on the deal - it's a good deal."

Both Albion and Villa, 11th and 12th in the table respectively, now have 15 points from 12 games.

PA