Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham: Scott Parker’s side three points from Premier League safety after draw

Fulham have the momentum in the relegation battle and, in their position, a point and clean sheet away from home are not to be sniffed at.

Still, it was hard to shake the sense this was a missed opportunity after what had gone during the 90 minutes and with what is to come.

Fulham came to Selhurst Park, totally dominated and at times had Crystal Palace hanging on. 

Fulham striker Josh Maja went close with a header but it was superbly saved by Vicente Guaita

Scott Parker (centre) will be disappointed not to have taken all three points from the match

Yet their reward for the efforts was just a goalless stalemate as they failed to drag Brighton and Newcastle above them closer to danger. Yes, every little does help but sometimes all three points are required.

This was one such occasion, partly because of just how much control Fulham enjoyed and the number of chances created. They really should have taken at least one of them.

But also because with Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City next up, things are unlikely to get much easier for third-bottom Fulham.

Scott Parker admitted this was ‘a missed opportunity’ but, overall, preferred to accentuate the positive.

He said: ‘Momentum is firmly with us. Of the last 16, 17 games we’ve probably lost three games. 

The first period passed without incident, with both defences holding firm in a 0-0 stalemate

Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic deservedly received a yellow card for this poor tackle

‘We have unbelievable quality in that [attacking] sense here. It’s now about trying to get that to click in key moments. I’d be more concerned if we weren’t creating chances.’

There was encouragement from his opposite number Roy Hodgson too, who masterminded Fulham’s Great Escape in 2008.

‘Absolutely,’ he said emphatically when asked if his old club can stay up.

Against his former England manager, Parker’s side showed why they can be hopeful of avoiding the drop but also why there are no guarantees they will be able to exploit the wobbles of the nearest rivals. 

Eagles centre half Gary Cahill made a brave last-ditch block to deny Dane Joachim Andersen

Former Crystal Palace loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek had several nice touches but not much else

They confidently bossed proceedings in the fashion of an established Premier League side and prevented Palace having a single attempt on target, Alphonse Areola only briefly threatened by a miskick by his own teammate Joachim Andersen.

Their lack of cutting edge, an issue for much of the season, stopped them getting what they fully deserved once again though.

Defender Andersen, who was one of Fulham’s biggest threats, was off target with two first-half headers, a second half free-kick, fired another long-range effort straight at Vicente Guaita and was denied by a brilliant last-ditch Gary Cahill block.

His centre-back partner Tosin Adarabioyo headed at Guaita too and Josh Maja fired two efforts off target either side of seeing his close range header brilliantly kept out by a reflex save from Palace’s goalkeeper. 

But Eagles boss Roy Hodgson (left) will have to reflect on another toothless display in attack

Ruben Loftus-Cheek blasted a spectacular volley off target and, at the death, Ademola Lookman met the impressive Harrison Reed’s cross but also just got his contact wrong, sending the ball inches past the far post.

In contrast to Fulham, Palace struggled badly to create chances again though this time there was no late drama, like Christian Benteke’s injury-time winner at Brighton, to mask the issue.

Palace’s approach led to questions about their lack of ambition but Hodgson countered: ‘When it wasn’t happening [for us], we had to make certain the weapons we had at our disposal were also brought to bear.

‘The major weapon we had was the defensive shape and defensive organisation and desire of the players to make certain if we weren’t going to win the game, we weren’t going to lose it.’