Premier League

Crystal Palace 0

Leeds United 0

Palace: Benítez (GK), Mitchell, Lacroix, Sarr, Lerma, Johnson (Pino 80’), Hughes (C) (Wharton 60’), Strand Larsen (Mateta 60’), Canvot (Kamada 80’), Richards, Guessand. Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Clyne, Sosa, Riad, Devenny.

Leeds: Darlow (GK), Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C), Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Bogle 46’), Nmecha (Gruev 46’), Bijol, Stach, Justin. Subs not used: Perri (GK), James, Longstaff, Piroe, Tanaka, Bornauw, Gnonto.

Venue: Selhurst Park

Attendance: 25,155

Referee: Thomas Bramall

Booked: Hughes, Johnson (Palace) Bijol (Leeds)

Sent off: Gudmundsson (Leeds)

Ten-man Leeds United showed great character and defended excellently to keep a clean sheet and earn an important Premier League draw at Selhurst Park.

Down a player for the entirety of the second half after Gabriel Gudmundsson was controversially, and bizarrely, sent off before the break, the Whites stood firm to return from the capital with a point.

Having made a host of changes to the side that beat Norwich City on Emirates FA Cup duties last weekend, which notably saw Lukas Nmecha partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top, play got underway on a blustery South London afternoon.

The hosts had an early opportunity as Brennan Johnson stepped up to fire a free kick goalwards from the edge of the area but the wall did its job, diverting the strike away from danger.

The Whites almost drew first blood themselves after a quarter of an hour. An Anton Stach header into the area was misjudged by a Palace defender and landed the way of Brenden Aaronson though, from a narrow angle, the American international dragged wide of the upright.

Daniel Farke’s team were aggrieved to not have been awarded a penalty kick when Nmecha was sent tumbling yards from goal yet there was nothing doing for official Thomas Bramall or the Video Assistant Referee.

An in-swinging Joe Rodon cross was then met by the head of Calvert-Lewin, forcing Eagles stopper Walter Benítez into a necessary diving intervention.

Moments later, the goalkeeper made another save to deny the England international, this time from on the line as the striker rose highest to meet a Stach corner from the right.

Approaching the break, a clever James Justin chip over the hosts’ backline released Calvert-Lewin only for a retreating blue and red shirt to recover and hack behind.

Leeds were well on top in the hunt for the opener at Selhurst Park and skipper Ethan Ampadu was next to try his luck, drilling a fierce drive from the edge of the area which was blocked by Maxence Lacroix.

The Whites were awarded a penalty after Will Hughes handled inside the area. Up stepped Calvert-Lewin but the striker was unable to convert and seconds before the half-time whistle, full-back Gudmundsson was shown a second yellow card.

HALF TIME: Crystal Palace 0-0 Leeds United

Down a man, United emerged from the interval with two changes to the personnel. Ilia Gruev and Jayden Bogle replaced Nmecha and Aaronson respectively.

Despite the disadvantage in terms of numbers, Leeds still pressed forward as they looked for the opener in the capital. A Stach delivery was glanced wide by Jaka Bijol from 10 yards out.

Shortly afterwards, the ball fell invitingly for Justin on the edge of the area who curled a powerful shot over the upright looking to pick out the far corner.

Excellent tenacity from Rodon, darting down the right wing, then kept play alive for Stach. The German fizzed a low ball across the face of goal which was hacked away by Chris Richards before Calvert-Lewin could pounce.

For all Leeds’ pressure, Karl Darlow had to be alert to keep the scores level, diving at full-stretch to claw the ball off the line after it had cannoned off Jean-Philippe Mateta at the front post.

It was Pascal Struijk and Stach’s turns next to be called into defensive action. Firstly, the defender stooped to head a dangerous delivery behind with Stach then crucially charging down a Palace shot on the right.

Having already been booked himself, Johnson was extremely lucky to avoid receiving his marching orders after catching Justin on the break.

The home side thought they had taken the lead courtesy of Jefferson Lerma’s point-blank header after an initial sublime Darlow save, only for the flag to be raised for an offside earlier in the move.

The Whites’ defence stood firm until the final whistle sounded, earning a deserved clean sheet and a valuable point on the road ahead of next weekend’s home meeting with Brentford.

FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 0-0 Leeds United