Queens Park Rangers 0-0 Crystal Palace
- Published
Managerless Palace remain in bottom three
Redknapp's 100th game as QPR boss
Palace keep fourth PL clean sheet of season
Rangers miss out on fourth straight home win
Managerless Crystal Palace remain in the Premier League's bottom three despite a spirited display that earned them a point at Queens Park Rangers.
Jason Puncheon hit the post in the first half for Palace, for whom Keith Millen was in temporary charge after Neil Warnock was sacked on Saturday.
QPR had the edge after the break, and Palace keeper Julian Speroni did well to tip over Leroy Fer's 25-yard shot.
Steven Caulker's header was then cleared off the line by James McArthur.
But Palace were denied right at the end, when Puncheon's cross-shot was beaten out by keeper Rob Green, and substitute Fraizer Campbell appealed in vain for a penalty as he went tumbling over Joey Barton's challenge when the ball ran loose.
Harry Redknapp's side, who had won their last three home games, stay two points above the drop zone.
QPR chairman Tony Fernandes was not at the game, having travelled to the Indonesian city of Surabaya after a plane belonging to his AirAsia airline went missing over the Java Sea with 162 people on board on Saturday.
Palace shut out Austin |
---|
Crystal Palace's clean sheet was only their fourth in the Premier League all season - following a 0-0 draw at home to Burnley on 13 September, a 2-0 victory over Leicester on 27 September and a 0-0 draw at Tottenham on 6 December |
Keith Millen's side kept out in-form QPR striker Charlie Austin, who had scored in each of his side's previous five home matches. |
Shortly after the match began, QPR's fans held a minute's applause as a tribute to their former defender Clarke Carlisle, who is recovering at Leeds General Infirmary after being hit by a lorry in Yorkshire on Monday.
Millen, placed in temporary charge of Palace for a third time since October 2013, started without a recognised striker, using the recalled Wilfried Zaha in the 'false nine' position.
It gave his side a solid look - with a snapshot 20-yard volley from Charlie Austin the only early threat to the visitors' goal - and they were unlucky not to go ahead when Puncheon curled a first-time left-foot shot against the post from the edge of the penalty area.
Rangers began to get frustrated and left-back Clint Hill - sent off 12 times in his career - escaped with a booking for a dangerous challenge on Palace defender Adrian Mariappa.
A poor match was at least enlivened at half-time as a QPR fan proposed to his girlfriend, who said yes, before the happy couple were embraced by club mascot Jude the Cat.
Perhaps news of the proposal reached the Rangers dressing room and inspired the home side, who improved after the break.
Ton-up Redknapp |
---|
Sunday's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace was Harry Redknapp's 100th match in charge of QPR. He has won 36, drawn 25 and lost 39 |
Fer went close twice in the first 15 minutes of the second half, volleying one effort narrowly wide, before striking a fierce 25-yard right-footed shot that was heading for the top corner until Speroni tipped it over.
Puncheon had a shot of his own pushed over by Green after a positive run, but Rangers looked the likelier scorers in the closing stages, with Caulker's goalbound header from a Barton corner nodded away by McArthur guarding the post.
Crystal Palace caretaker-manager Keith Millen:
"We were all shocked by what happened yesterday but I've seen the lads' resilience and I had no doubt they'd show up. We deserved at least a point.
"If we can continue like that, we'll be OK. We need to score more goals, but if we keep that organisation, we'll be fine."
QPR manager Harry Redknapp:
"I've seen Palace a number of times this season and I've never seen them play badly. They're a dangerous team. I think it was a fair result. I couldn't honestly say we deserved to win."
Asked who he might want to sign in the January transfer window, Redknapp joked: "Sergio Aguero and three or four others if you'd like to get them here."
- Published29 December 2014
- Published29 December 2014
- Published27 December 2014
- Published26 December 2014
- Published26 December 2014
- Published22 December 2014
- Published20 June 2016
- Published7 June 2019