Perhaps it is testament to the progress Leeds have made since returning to the Premier League just over a year ago that there was discontent at failing to move up to third after drawing with Crystal Palace. Instead, Daniel Farke’s side enter the prolonged international break in fifth and unbeaten, which is a fine achievement in itself.
Apart from Tyrick Mitchell’s disallowed goal, neither side gave much impression they would secure the points. For Palace, it was a first clean sheet of the Premier League season, having conceded at least twice in their opening four games, relieving pressure on Pierre Sage, while Leeds suffered their first blank.
The most notable moment of the opening quarter came when Walter Benítez took too long to distribute the ball. The referee Adam Herczeg, making his Premier League debut and fully aware of the rules, awarded Leeds a corner as punishment. It was a tentative game in the autumn sunshine, lacking intensity and quality, with Ao Tanaka snatching at a shot the closest anyone got to threatening a goal.
Around the half hour mark something akin to a football match broke out as nervousness was replaced by urgency. Jørgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber engineered a chance for Palace which was blocked and allowed Leeds to break through Noah Okafor down the left, although his cross was turned behind.
Palace had the greater quality, with Adam Wharton and Timber comfortable in possession in the middle of the park, while Yéremy Pino whizzed around in the hope of finding an opener. It was controlled play, as the visitors took their time in the buildup, although there was often very little at the end of it as James Trafford was left unthreatened.
Leeds on the other hand would burst into life for brief moments as the full-backs flew forward, changing the dynamic in an instant but Palace’s centre-backs and wing-backs were built to deal with these rapid transitions, leaving Dominic Calvert-Lewin starved of service. Benítez could relax and re-read the laws of the game, having failed to face a single shot on target in the opening 40 minutes.
Palace pushed the fast forward button at the break and Mitchell put the ball in the back of the net from a fine move down the right. The glory turned to anguish when the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened to show Anan Khalaili was offside in the buildup, causing an eruption inside Elland Road.
Leeds were sluggish but the warning from Mitchell caused a reaction and they were almost ahead when Calvert-Lewin’s first real chance of the match was saved by Benítez. The England striker was given too much space to get on the end of a cross but his sidefooted volley was weak.
There was a touch of menace in the game as Tanaka and Wharton were booked in quick succession, the first for a cynical foul and the latter after lunging in late without a hope of winning the ball, ensuring Herczeg was far busier than the two goalkeepers.
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Leeds were completely ineffective in open play, Ethan Ampadu engaged in a long-throwathon. Every few minutes he would trot to one sideline or the other to pick up the ball and hurl it into the box but Palace were alive to the danger. This led to a growing sense of frustration among the home fans, who are not content with fifth place at this stage.
Daichi Kamada came close to a late winner but his header slid inches wide of the post. Palace would have been more deserving of the victory but fairness was the ultimate winner.
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