Crystal Palace and Aston Villa played out a tense but ultimately goalless draw at Selhurst Park, a result that continued Palace’s recent stranglehold over Unai Emery’s side while leaving both teams feeling they could have taken more from the contest.
The stalemate extended Palace’s unbeaten run against Villa to seven matches, a sequence that has increasingly frustrated the Midlands club. For the Eagles, however, the point came with mixed emotions, as it also stretched their own winless streak to eight games in all competitions.
Villa started the brighter of the two teams and enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening period. They moved the ball confidently through midfield and found space between the lines, but clear chances were limited. Ollie Watkins came closest, forcing Dean Henderson into a sharp save before later glancing a header narrowly wide.
Palace, missing a host of first-team players, gradually grew into the match. Brennan Johnson nearly marked his home debut with a goal, only to be denied by a fingertip save from Emiliano Martínez after a quick break caught Villa momentarily off guard.
The second half followed a similar pattern, though with roles slightly reversed. Villa’s early control faded, and Palace began to apply more pressure, pushing higher up the pitch and asking questions from wide areas. Despite that shift, neither side could produce the decisive moment, with defensive organisation largely outweighing attacking quality.
Tempers flared late on, particularly from the Villa bench. Unai Emery was visibly frustrated after a late corner appeared to present a potential penalty opportunity, feeling his side were denied a closer look from the officials. That moment summed up a night where Villa felt marginal calls went against them, even if their own attacking edge dulled as the match wore on.
From Palace’s perspective, the performance carried quiet encouragement. With a depleted squad, Oliver Glasner saw his side remain disciplined, resilient and organised, particularly in the face of Villa’s technical midfield. Captain Marc Guéhiled by example at the back, helping limit Watkins’ influence and ensuring Palace remained difficult to break down.
Villa arguably finished stronger, pushing for a late winner, but the lack of precision in the final third told. For a team with ambitions near the top of the table, it felt like a missed opportunity, especially given the chance to gain ground on rivals.
In the end, the draw reflected a contest of fine margins rather than flowing football. Palace will take pride in the clean sheet and the spirit shown despite their absences, while Villa leave south London knowing they controlled spells but failed to convert promise into points.
