Leeds United head into the prolonged international break fifth in the Premier League and still unbeaten, a record that says much about how far Daniel Farke’s side have come since returning to the top flight just over a year ago. Yet the mood at Elland Road after a goalless draw with Crystal Palace was not one of satisfaction. The home supporters had expected a win that would have lifted their team up to third, and the sense of a chance missed was unmistakable.
The stalemate carried its own significance for the visitors. Palace recorded their first clean sheet of the Premier League season, having conceded at least twice in each of their opening four matches, a result that eases the pressure on Pierre Sage. Leeds, by contrast, were left with their first blank of the campaign.
The most dramatic moment came after the interval, when Tyrick Mitchell finished off a fine Palace move down the right and put the ball in the net. The celebration was cut short by the video assistant referee, who identified that Anan Khalaili had been offside in the buildup, prompting an eruption inside Elland Road.
The opening quarter had offered little. The most notable incident came when Walter Benítez took too long to release the ball, and referee Adam Herczeg, making his Premier League debut, awarded Leeds a corner as punishment. It was a tentative contest in the autumn sunshine, short on both intensity and quality, with a snatched effort from Ao Tanaka the closest either side came to threatening a goal.
Around the half-hour mark the game briefly came to life. Jørgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber combined to create a chance for Palace that was blocked, allowing Leeds to break through Noah Okafor down the left, though his cross was turned behind. Palace carried the greater quality, with Adam Wharton and Timber comfortable in possession in midfield and Yéremy Pino buzzing around in search of an opener. Their buildup was patient and controlled, but too often it ended without a threat, leaving James Trafford untroubled. Leeds, meanwhile, flickered into life in short bursts as their full-backs pushed forward, only for Palace’s centre-backs and wing-backs to deal comfortably with those rapid transitions, leaving Dominic Calvert-Lewin starved of service.
After Mitchell’s disallowed goal jolted them into a response, Leeds nearly went ahead when Calvert-Lewin was given too much space to meet a cross, but the England striker’s sidefooted volley was weak and saved by Benítez. The game grew more combative as Tanaka and Wharton were booked in quick succession, the first for a cynical foul and the second for a late lunge with no hope of winning the ball, keeping Herczeg far busier than either goalkeeper.
In open play Leeds were largely ineffective, with Ethan Ampadu repeatedly trotting to one touchline or the other to launch long throws into the box, all of which Palace dealt with. That only deepened the frustration among home fans who are not content with fifth place. Palace came closest to a late winner when Daichi Kamada’s header slid inches wide of the post, and on the balance of play the visitors would have been the more deserving winners.