Leeds extended their unbeaten start to the season but had to settle for a point from a goalless draw with much-improved Crystal Palace at Elland Road.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin spurned Leeds’ best chance when firing straight at Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez in the second half after visiting defender Tyrick Mitchell was denied a winner by VAR.
These are heady times at Leeds after they climbed up to third in the table last week after dismantling Newcastle 4-1 and although they are only five games into their second season back in the top flight, expectation was high among fans before kick-off.
But Palace turned in one of their best displays of the season and will consider themselves unlucky to have secured only one point after creating the better chances.
Given Palace had conceded more goals – 11 – than any other side in the top flight this season, it was no surprise they sat deep when out of possession in the early exchanges.
But they were dangerous on the counter-attack and it took a superb recovery tackle from Tarik Muharemovic to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen, while Leeds squandered early pressure with poor set-piece deliveries.
James Trafford was the first goalkeeper forced into a save when diving low to hold Daichi Kamada’s shot and with Leeds struggling to find an end product, Pierre Sage will have been the happier of the two managers at half-time.
Trafford was at full stretch low down to brilliantly turn away Yeremy Pino’s free-kick soon after the restart and Kamada’s shot flew narrowly wide.
Palace were then denied a deserved lead when Mitchell lashed home after Anan Khalaili’s cross had deflected off Muharemovic.
Referee Adam Herczeg, taking charge of his first Premier League game, awarded a goal, but it was ruled out by VAR, who deemed Khalaili to have been offside.
Leeds almost snatched the lead after their let-off as Calvert-Lewin fired his point-blank effort from James Justin’s cross straight at Palace keeper Benitez.
Palace continued to pose Leeds problems, with midfield lynchpin Adam Wharton central to their promptings while Kamada’s header span the wrong side of a post as the home fans grew increasingly frustrated.
Another timely tackle from Muharemovic thwarted Palace substitute Ismaila Sarr in the penalty area as Leeds failed to carve out another chance against an organised, water-tight defence.
