Crystal Palace 0 Aston Villa 0: Unai Emery anger after stalemate

It is now seven matches without a win for Unai Emery’s men against the Eagles and though this draw ended a run of four straight defeats, in many ways it felt like a missed opportunity.

Emery certainly wore a look of thunder at the final whistle, the Villa boss taking the unusual step of remonstrating with referee Andy Madley after seeing his side denied a late penalty when Youri Tielemans appeared to be hauled down in the box.

The visitors also saw two first half penalty shouts, both for handball, waved away by the officials yet their performance also lacked conviction and Emery's frustration may also have been rooted in the failure to close ground on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Palace themselves are now winless in eight and Oliver Glasner’s depleted team, without key men due to injuries and international duty, looked low on confidence in the first half in particular.

But Villa were unable to take advantage and in the end the draw was the fair result, even though Ollie Watkins came close to snatching a late winner with a header which struck the post.

The England international, scorer of four in his previous three matches, also saw two first half chances, while Villa were indebted to two goalkeepers for their point.

Emi Martinez denied Brennan Johnson in the first half before, for the second season running at Selhurst Park, going off at half-time. His replacement, Marco Bizot, saved from Yeremy Pino as Palace pushed on in the second half before Villa finished the stronger.

They could not find a winner but remain five points behind Arsenal in third, having missed the chance to go up into second outright as Manchester City were held at home by Brighton.

Selhurst Park has historically been an unhappy hunting ground for Villa, regardless of their recent record against Palace.

But the home side’s lengthy absentee list made this feel like an opportunity. Ismaila Sarr, their regular tormentor, was still away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Home boss Glasner had a further nine first-team players missing through injury.

Palace had not won at home since the start of November. Even Tottenham won here.

Villa began brightly, pushing the home side back without being able to find the final pass which would have created a chance. Shouts for a penalty, when Tyrick Mitchell handled John McGinn’s flick, were waved away.

But then fans who have often watched Villa at Selhurst Park know they usually start well before things go wrong.

Sure enough, they would have feared the inevitable when Adam Wharton’s pass sent Johnson through on goal. The Wales international, making his home debut following a move from Tottenham, had time to pick his spot but Martinez stayed patient and helped his rising drive over the bar.

Villa took time before carving out their first opening but when they did it was a big one. Tielemans picked out the run of Watkins but though the striker’s first touch wasn’t bad, it allowed Henderson time to race out and block the second at point-blank range.

Watkins would get a better chance before the end of the half. This time Rogers supplied the pass and the striker rode the challenge of Jaydee Canvot but the left-footed finish was heading wide before being blocked by Lacroix.

Villa finished the half on top and saw further shouts for a penalty waved away when Mitchell again handled, this time from a Matty Cash shot.

The visitors were forced to change their keeper for the second season running at Selhurst Park at the break, with Bizot replacing Martinez.

Tielemans then missed a great chance to break the deadlock when he couldn’t get his shot on target after Victor Lindelof had headed a free-kick back across goal.

Canvot, who Villa might have signed themselves last summer had finances allowed, was enduring a tough evening at the back and a slip allowed Rogers time and space to pick out a cross. Marc Guehi beat Watkins to it, with only the reactions of Henderson preventing the defender putting through his own net.

Wharton looked Palace’s most likely creator and when he slipped a through ball to Will Hughes, Pino should have done better than fire the resulting cross straight at Lindelof.

An opener was beginning to look likely, you just couldn’t be sure which end. Mateta and Rogers fired low crosses into their opponents respective boxes without anyone being there to supply the finish.

Things were chaotic. A cross into the Villa box saw Bizot clattered, Kamara lunge in to prevent Mitchell tapping home and Johnson then booked for diving when he threw himself to the ground under the challenge of Lindelof.

Villa came closest to winning it when Watkins sent a header bouncing off the post, before Rogers saw a close-range shot deflected over by Lacroix.

Madley missed it and awarded a goal-kick but enraged Emery the most when he and VAR Michael Oliver ignored Johnson hauling down Tielemans, on another night when Villa left Selhurst Park frustrated. 

Palace (3-4-2-1): Henderson, Canvot, Lacroix, Guehi, Devenny (Sosa 90), Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino, Mateta Subs not used: Uche, Richards, Rodney, King, Benamar, Casey, Drakes-Thomas, Benitez (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez (Bizot HT), Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne (Maatsen 73), Kamara (Bogarde 82), Tielemans, McGinn (Malen 73), Rogers, Sancho, Watkins Subs not used: Torres, Garcia, Hemmings, Jimoh-Aloba.