Leeds United returned after a 16-day break from Premier League action with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace. The Whites were far from their best at Selhurst Park but a strong defensive display, coupled with some good saves from Illan Meslier saw them earn a share of the spoils.
With the draw, Leeds have moved five points clear of Everton in the bottom three, though Frank Lampard’s side do still have a game in hand. Here is how the national media reported last night’s game.
‘The point their hard work merited’
Michael Emons of BBC Sport said: “Only bottom-of-the-table Norwich City (69) have conceded more Premier League goals this season than Leeds' 68 but in the seven games since Marsch replaced the sacked Marcelo Bielsa in February, the American has turned Leeds into a team that is hard to beat.
READ MORE: Full Jesse Marsch transcript as Leeds United pick up vital point at Selhurst Park
“Aided by superb defending, with Cooper and Diego Llorente repeatedly making crucial blocks, tackles or interceptions, Leeds will feel they got the point their hard work merited, and, with a tough run of fixtures coming up, will be happy with the result.
“For Palace, who lost in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley earlier this month, the draw takes them on to 38 points and surely secures what will be a 10th successive season in the top flight.
“The match at a packed and passionate Selhurst Park was played at a frenetic pace throughout, but with both sides repeatedly lacking quality in the final areas.”
‘Another little step’
Riath Al-Samarrai of the Daily Mail said: “Slowly and on wobbly feet, Leeds took another a little step. There was no flourish in how they did it, nor any shots of consequence, but they are getting there.
“Their tally now stands at 34 points for 33 games played, with few harder earned than this. It was one of those slogs, a grimy examination of the soul when their best player, by a street, was stood in their own goal.
“Without Illan Meslier, Wilfried Zaha would have scored a couple. Maybe more. Conor Gallagher might have had one, too. Then there’s Jean-Philippe Mateta. He didn’t force any great saves, but he did have a few very good chances - his was a cow’s backside and banjo sort of night.
“So that’s the kind of game Leeds endured and they left with something to celebrate, which takes us back to their points. It won’t take 40 to stay up this year, but the modern standard of 35 also feels light, which means there must still be some unease about their forthcoming run against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. There won’t be much room for easy breathing before they get to their concluding assignments with Brighton and Brentford, but 34 points has them on the doorstep, close to where they need to be.
“If they pull it off, good for Jesse Marsch. They were losing these games and most others under Marcelo Bielsa, so the progress only really needs to be explained in one context – for their past five games they have 11 points. That is how you salvage a season, even if the second half of this match was an exercise in how best to absorb a slap.”
‘A point that could prove priceless’
Ed Aarons of the Guardian said: “If avoiding relegation is about rolling your sleeves up and fighting for everything then, on this evidence, Leeds should just about make it.
“A second successive clean sheet on the road earned Jesse Marsch’s side a point that could prove priceless. It definitely wasn’t pretty on a night when tempers frayed on both sides, although with Crystal Palace having now moved even closer to rubber-stamping their Premier League status for another season there was no reason for Patrick Vieira to complain other than perhaps the below-par performance of the referee.
“Sixteen days had passed since Leeds defeated Watford in their last match, but Burnley’s resurgence since sacking Sean Dyche meant that this was an opportunity to avoid being dragged into the relegation battle. Marsch was able to name Kalvin Phillips in his starting line-up for the first time, with the England midfielder making a long-awaited return from a hamstring injury he sustained in December.
“The absence of Phillips for so long has not helped Leeds’s predicament, although Marsch’s return of 11 points from seven games – and now five matches unbeaten – since taking over from Marcelo Bielsa at the end of February has eased some of the pressure. Leeds have established a five-point cushion over Everton going into the final stretch of the season, albeit having played a game more.”
