CRYSTAL PALACE 0 BURNLEY 0

By Ayodele Odumade at Selhurst Park

Some goalless draws are sterile and boring. This game cannot be placed in this category, as Crystal Palace and Burnley could not find a way past each other. This was their first ever meeting in the Premiership and it was Neil Warnock’s first home game since his reappointment as manager of Palace.

With just six minutes gone Palace had a chance from a Jason Puncheon corner, which found its way to Wilfred Zaha. He turned, cross but Damien Delaney’s header was blocked.

Wilfred Zaha, on a second loan spell from United showed a bit of trickery as he turned the Burnley defence inside out. But his shot was saved by Tom Heaton and cleared off the line.

Just before the midway point Puncheon had a shot but it was deflected into the arms of Heaton. Palace were all over Burnley like a rash. They were quick to the first and second balls and the link up play between Frazier Campbell, Dwight Gayle and Zaha was working a treat.

After the break Palace carried on probing. A cross from Puncheon was a headed goal ward by Campbell but Gayle could not connect as the balled skidded past the far post.

In a rare attack by Burnley, Lukas Jutkiewicz intercepted a pass in the centre circle and raced towards the Palace goal, but he could only find the side netting with his shot.

Scott Arfield got hold of the ball and drove forward and as Scott Dann backed off he unleashed a shot, which was tipped over by Speroni for a corner.

Zaha came off to a standing ovation from the Palace fans and was replaced by Yannick Bolassie, who presented the Burnley defence with another set of problems.

They game had become a little open now as both sides kept looking for a goal.  Palace came close as substitute Jonathan Williams saw his toe poke go just wide of the Burnley goal.

With five minutes left, Burnley were awarded a penalty when Palace skipper Mile Jedinak brought Jutkiewicz down in the box. Arfield stepped up to take the penalty but Speroni made a good save as he tipped the ball over the bar for a corner to Burnley. 

The game ended goalless in what was a very entertaining game. Burnley would feel they should have won it with the penalty but on the balance of play a draw was probably a fair result. On the plus side for Burnley, they have managed to keep back- to-back clean sheets. However they have only managed to score one goal in the first four games. That could be a problem at this level especially with their talisman Danny Ings going off injured.  His goals in the Championship were pivotal to their promotion to the top tier last season. 

Neil Warnock would also find this performance encouraging despite their failure to take any of their chances when it mattered.