Crystal Palace keep frustrated Newcastle at bay to secure point

In keeping with their week and their current mood Newcastle roared plenty, but the bite never came. They and Crystal Palace might have shared a sense that their positive starts to the season hadn’t quite garnered the tangible reward that they should have but their Saturday night sentiments will be acutely contrasting, with Tyneside frustration juxtaposed with south London satisfaction.

Just as a goalless scoreline is a poor description of an absorbing contest, the pre-match billing undersold it; this was a meeting between sides kicking off 12th and 13th respectively in the (albeit infant) Premier League table, an unjust reflection of the teams’ current vibrant fettle. It was clear from club captain Jamaal Lascelles’ programme notes that Newcastle’s first defeat of the season on Wednesday night, at the death at Liverpool, still stung– “I thought we were the better side,” he wrote, somewhat contentiously – and that soreness was evident in the aggressive start of Eddie Howe’s team.

Alexander Isak, making his home debut, had the clearest of chances to underline that dominance in bursting clear shortly after the quarter-hour but having taken his chance at Anfield so coolly to net his first goal for the club on Wednesday, his attempted chip was tame and straight at Vicente Guaita.

Palace have looked almost as enterprising in the season’s opening weeks but here they were showing an almost Hodgsonesque reserve, defending effectively with a back seven when out of possession, and doing it mostly effectively until Newcastle really hit their stride as the first half matured.

Sven Botman, an imposing target from set pieces, was denied by a last-ditch block and a sharp Guaita save and by the time a Miguel Almirón shot was deflected