QPR 0-0 Crystal Palace

Nothing in this bleak encounter suggested these teams are going to soar clear of danger any time soon. At least Crystal Palace can take satisfaction from a valuable away point in their first match since the dismissal of Neil Warnock, though given how beatable their hosts looked, the south Londoners’ overriding sentiment may be regret at not enhancing a form record that now reads one win in 13 Premier League matches.

The best thing caretaker manager Keith Millen did was make a single alteration to the line-up that started Warnock’s last match in charge, with Frazier Campbell replaced by Wilfried Zaha. A paucity of goals was one of the main problems during Warnock’s short reign and Millen sought to remedy that by dispensing with specialist strikers and putting his trust in Zaha to provide penetration through the middle behind an advanced supporting cast of Jason Puncheon, James McArthur and Yannick Bolasie.

The ploy did not work, as Zaha fluffed a couple of clear chances in the first-half before being substituted mid-way through the second. In the 22nd minute he bungled his attempt to score after Puncheon’s delicate shot from the edge of the area rebounded off the post. He then dragged a shot wide from 15 yards after a long goalkick found its way through to him.

Despite looking toothless, Palace were the more inventive and dynamic of two teams low on precision. While Palace at least showed they had the ability to generate chances in the first half, Rangers displayed a grim lack of creativity, with hoofs in the general direction of Bobby Zamora being their default tactic. Palace’s defence, aided by Mile Jedinak, dealt with that approach easily for most of the match. Charlie Austin had to scavenge for any chance to add to his impressive goal tally for the season, though he did produce the first shot on target in the 15th minute when his own cross came back to him off Adrian Mariappa and he sent a stinging half-volley goalward from the corner of the box. Julián Speroni saved comfortably.

QPR could hardly blame fatigue for their aimless stodginess, as Harry Redknapp made six changes to the side that had come close to scrounging their first away point of the season when they gave Arsenal a fright on Boxing Day. Their deplorable results on the road so far place them under added pressure to collect points at home, especially against fellow strugglers like Palace, so Redknapp must have hoped for a similar sort of revival to the one that Rangers mustered when coming from two goals down to beat West Bromwich Albion in their last home game. But apparently neither manager felt it necessary to make personnel or tactical changes during the break in a bid to stimulate a breakthrough.

Three minutes into the second period Rangers could almost claim vindication for their long ball strategy, when Mariappa’s would-be clearance of a mighty diagonal delivery fell to Leroy Fer, whose volley from 20 yards flew narrowly wide.

Ten minutes of largely artless skirmishing continued before Fer went close again, this time forcing Speroni to tip a ferocious 25-yard shot over the bar. That stirred the home crowd into song for the first time and Rangers’ play improved a little too, although Puncheon almost struck on the counter-attack for Palace, his curling shot from 20 yards bringing a one-handed save from Rob Green.

McArthur had to clear a Steven Caulker header off his line in the 74th minute following a corner by Joey Barton. A corner from the same side in the 87th minute provoked further unease in the visiting defence but Junior Hoilett granted them a reprieve by slashing wide from 15 yards. That scruffy effort offered a neat summary of the match, but Palace almost wrote a different script in added time, when a swift counter-attack culminated in Puncheon firing low at goal from 18 yards. Green saved with one hand and Campbell’s attempt to prod into the empty net from close range was foiled by a timely tackle by Barton. Outraged Palace players surrounded Mike Jones, the referee, to demand a penalty but the official ruled that Barton’s challenge was fair.