ALBION have prepared for the possibility of penalties to reach another play-off final.

Boss Gus Poyet has left nothing to chance as the Seagulls try to clinch a Wembley date in the Championship with Watford, managed by his close friend and former Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola, at The Amex tonight.

Albion won a shoot-out in their League One semi-final second leg against Swindon at Withdean nine years ago on their way to promotion.

Poyet expects another tight tussle against arch-rivals Crystal Palace after Friday's 0-0 draw in the first leg at Selhurst Park, so the players have been practising penalties in training.

Poyet said: "You normally do. I think it's common sense. Can you replicate the tension? No. Can you put in goal the goalkeeper you are going to take them against? No. There are plenty of things you cannot do but at least the players that have a better chance to be on the pitch have been practising.

"They have been talking about different preferences. The key for the manager is to have a clear idea who wants to take one, who doesn't, which penalty they prefer to take.

"Football is incredible. You think everybody is happy to take a penalty and they don't care whether it is the first or the fifth. No, they do.

"We are all different. There are penalty takers and people that have never taken a penalty and are wishing they won't be in that position.

"So we have been doing a bit, I suppose like anyone else, but not too much to get paranoid with the situation."