Crystal Palace ended their run of heavy defeats with a hard-earned 0-0 draw away to Leeds United on Sunday. The point, secured at Elland Road, gave Pierre Sage's side their first clean sheet of the Premier League campaign after conceding 11 goals in their opening four matches.
Daniel Farke, the Leeds manager, described his feelings as "mixed emotions" after the stalemate. "We would have preferred to win, but the reality is it is 38 game days," Farke said. "It is not always magic nights under the floodlights, champagne football, you overrun the opponent and score goals for fun."
For Palace, the primary objective was defensive solidity. They achieved it, with goalkeeper Walter Benítez facing no shots on target in the opening 40 minutes and the backline effectively nullifying Leeds's rapid transitions. The only major scare came when Tyrick Mitchell thought he had scored from a move down the right, but the effort was ruled out for offside against Anan Khalaili in the buildup.
Pierre Sage expressed clear relief at his team's improved organisation. "Especially when I read the social media, there's a big pressure," the Palace manager admitted. "But you know, I don't care about that. I do my job with honesty, I give my best with my skills and my limits."
Match details
The game was largely a midfield battle under the autumn sunshine. Adam Wharton and Quinten Timber were comfortable in possession for Palace, while Leeds's best opening fell to Ao Tanaka, whose missed shot was the closest anyone came to breaking the deadlock. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was starved of service for the hosts, with his only real chance saved by Benítez. At the other end, Daichi Kamada missed a late header that drifted wide as Palace edged the contest.
Both sides had players booked, with Tanaka and Wharton seeing yellow for fouls. The result leaves Crystal Palace 15th in the Premier League with four points from five games. They are now 11 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Looking ahead
The clean sheet provides a foundation ahead of the international break. Palace's next challenge is a home fixture against Nottingham Forest on 11 October. Forest currently sit 13th in the table, one place and two points above Palace. The Eagles will hope to have some of their sidelined players, including Chadi Riad, Dean Henderson and Jean-Philippe Mateta, available for that match. Check the latest team news on our injuries page.
This result follows a mixed run of form for Palace, which included a 4-0 win over Lech Poznan in the Europa Conference League but also a 3-2 defeat to Ipswich. The team will now focus on preparing for the visit of Nottingham Forest, a key match in their quest to climb the table. Their upcoming fixtures show a busy schedule after the break.
The report in full is at The Guardian Football
