Title challengers Aston Villa missed a chance to close the gap on Arsenal to three points as Crystal Palace’s injury-hit side earned a goalless draw at Selhurst Park.
Palace have not won a league match in front of their home supporters since beating Brentford on 1 November, and their overall winless run extended to six Premier League games with this result.
But after a dull start to the game, they looked the side more likely to find a winner.
Brennan Johnson spurned chances either side of the break on his home debut, while Yeremy Pino forced Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot – brought on for the injured Emiliano Martinez at half-time – into a smart stop.
Villa were looking for a 10th win in 11 league games, but Unai Emery’s side failed in their bid to reach the 45-point mark after 21 matches for the first time in the club’s history.
In-form Ollie Watkins made several smart runs in behind the Palace defence in the first-half but was first denied by a smothering Dean Henderson save before Maxence Lacroix produced a goal-saving block.
Palace appeared to be conserving energy in the first half but were much more adventurous in the final 30 minutes.
Jean-Philippe Mateta went agonisingly close to meeting Johnson’s low cross on the slide, but the Frenchman could not finish a quiet evening with a goal.
Aston Villa pushed in the final moments when Watkins hit the woodwork from close range and Morgan Rogers fired over on the turn.
