Aston Villa missed a chance to close in on Premier League leaders Arsenal but still left Selhurst Park with a point and some encouragement, after a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace that kept Aston Villa third
despite Manchester City dropping points against Brighton on the same night.
The goalless contest ended Aston Villa’s run of scoring in 10 straight Premier League matches, with the team failing to find the net in the league for the first time since a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in November, yet Unai Emery highlighted several positives from the performance.
Emery’s side knew a win would move Aston Villa above Manchester City into second place, following City’s slip against Brighton, but Aston Villa could not find a breakthrough, while Arsenal stayed further ahead at the top as the result confirmed Aston Villa’s position in third for another matchday.
The first half saw Aston Villa have the greater control, as Emery’s team enjoyed long spells of possession, worked good positions between the lines, and tried to break through with through balls, yet Crystal Palace threatened on the counter and forced Emiliano Martinez into an important save from Brennan Johnson.
Crystal Palace’s problems in the Premier League continued, with Oliver Glasner’s team now without a win in six league games, recording two draws and four defeats, and the run at Selhurst Park is also worrying, as Crystal Palace have gone six home league matches without victory for the first time since a seven-game sequence between September and December 2023 under Roy Hodgson.
That home form slump follows a previous poor streak for Crystal Palace, when the club last endured a longer winless Premier League run between August and October 2024, stretching across eight matches, adding further pressure as the team again struggles to turn performances into points in front of the home crowd.
For Emery, there was a different historical note, as this result extended Oliver Glasner’s dominance in their personal meetings, with Emery still searching for a first top-flight win over the Crystal Palace manager after seven league clashes, recording two draws and five defeats, which is Emery’s longest winless sequence against any opposing coach.
The pattern of the match shifted after half-time, as Crystal Palace pushed Aston Villa deeper, sent more balls into the penalty area, and created several situations inside the box, though most opportunities lacked a clear final chance, and Aston Villa had to respond late just to reassert some control in the closing stages.
Emery was satisfied with large parts of Aston Villa’s display, reflecting on the opening period and the late push for a winner, telling Sky Sports: "We played the first half dominating and had control of the game, with possession and time to get our good positioning and through passes to create chances. I think in the last 10 minutes we had chances to win the match. One point is something that can give us confidence to keep going. We didnt create a lot but enough to score one goal and we didnt give them a lot of chances. They only had one transition and one good chance, but we saved it. In the second half we started well but they were pushing us and creating more chances in our box. Not clear chances, but we needed to react and the players reacted in the last 15 minutes to try and get the win. "
The biggest opening for Aston Villa arrived near the end when Ollie Watkins, who entered the match in strong form, met a cross with a powerful header that beat the goalkeeper but struck the woodwork, while Crystal Palace’s best opportunity came earlier when Brennan Johnson, on a home Premier League debut, was denied by a sharp stop from Emiliano Martinez.
| Team / Manager | Run | Competition | Period / Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa | 10 games scoring streak ended | Premier League | First blank since 2-0 loss to Liverpool in November |
| Crystal Palace | 6 games without a win (D2 L4) | Premier League | Worst run since 8-game streak between August and October 2024 |
| Crystal Palace (home) | 6 home league games without a win | Premier League | Longest at Selhurst Park since 7-game run, September–December 2023 |
| Emery vs Glasner | 7 league games without a win (D2 L5) | Top-flight meetings | Emery’s longest winless record against any coach |
The Boss' thoughts following tonight's point against Crystal Palace pic.twitter.com/BrW39kXRNWAston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 7, 2026
The result leaves Aston Villa still firmly in the leading pack behind Arsenal, yet also rueing a missed opportunity to climb into second, while Crystal Palace leave with a clean sheet but continued frustration over their winless spells overall and at Selhurst Park, as both clubs look ahead to their next Premier League tests.
