Aston Villa drop points in title race after goalless draw at Crystal Palace

Palace extended their unbeaten run against Villa to seven matches.

EVEN EMERY: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during the match at Palace. Pic: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire.

Crystal Palace 0 Aston Villa 0

ASTON VILLA held on for a well-earned point as Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten run against Unai Emery's side to seven matches.

The Eagles had beaten Villa in five of their previous six meetings, including last season's FA Cup semi-final and had enough chances to add another three points in a dominant second half against Emery's in-form side.

An evenly-contested first half saw both sides fashion decent chances to score with Brennan Johnson, on his home debut following his £35 million move from Spurs, denied by Emi Martinez when put in the clear by Adam Wharton.

The Wales international should have hit the target as he bore down on goal only for Argentina No.1 to tip his rising effort over the bar.

Ollie Watkins went closest to scoring for Villa with Dean Henderson denying his fellow England international with a smothering save before Maxence Lacroix made a tremendous block to deny the striker who had scored in each of his last three appearances..

No team has lost to the Eagles at Selhurst Park more than Villa, who have left empty-handed on nine of their previous 13 visits and no single manager has inflicted more defeats on Emery than Oliver Glasner.

Injury-hit Palace, who were winless in their last seven games and had not tasted victory at home since November when they beat Wolves and can feel hard done by not to win the game after dominating the second half.

Somehow the hosts failed to force the ball over the line when Johnson's low cross caused confusion in the Villa box after he skipped past Lucas Digne.

But as the ball ping-ponged in the six-yard box neither Jean-Philippe-Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell were able to poke it home in at the back post as Villa desperately cleared their lines.

Moments later, and with Palace very much in the ascendancy, Johnson was rightly booked after going down softly when strongly challenged in the box by Victor Lindelof, despite the howls of the home fans behind the goal.

Villa continued to defend manfully for most of the second half as Palace pushed hard for a winner with Mateta only just failing to get a touch on Johnson's low cross at the back post.

Emery's side weathered that Palace storm to finish the second half strongly with Victor Lindelof hitting the post with a looping header from Matty Cash's cross five minutes from time shortly after Emi Buendia worked his way into the box but blazed over the bar.

Crystal Palace: Henderson 7, Guehi 7, Lacroix 7, Canvot 6; Devenney 6 (Sosa (90), Wharton 8, Hughes 7, Mitchell 7; Johnson 7, Pino 6; Mateta 6.

Aston Villa: Martinez 7 (Bizot 45, 6) Cash 7, Konsa 6, Lindelof 6, Digne 6 (Maatsen 72, 6); Kamara 6, Tielemans 6; McGinn 6 (Malen 72, 6), Rogers 6, Sancho 5 (Buendia 65, 6); Watkins 6.

Referee: Andrew Madley.