Rivals Crystal Palace and Brighton had to settle for a point apiece from a largely dour Premier League tussle at Selhurst Park, where VAR intervention quashed a penalty award to the Seagulls.
The game started with plenty of promise as both teams created good chances in the opening 10 minutes, but the excitement waned.
Brighton thought they had won a spot-kick just after the hour mark when Georginio Rutter went down as he looked to go past Jaydee Canvot.
However, referee Tim Robinson was sent to the screen by the video assistant referee and overturned the decision before booking Rutter for diving.
Palace, who brought England midfielder Adam Wharton back into their side but were without injured captain Marc Guehi, threatened first through Jean-Philippe Mateta after good play from Ismaila Sarr.
Brighton soon responded as Diego Gomez plucked a high ball out of the sky and tested Dean Henderson with a stinging shot.
A minute later, Sarr forced a good save from Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen before the game settled into a predictable pattern as the sides largely cancelled each other out.
Brighton’s best chance came on the stroke of half-time as Gomez robbed Wharton of possession, drove forward and slipped the ball through for Yankuba Minteh – only for the winger to scuff a shot horribly wide.
Palace should have gone in front 10 minutes after half-time when Wharton robbed Carlos Baleba in the Brighton half, but first Sarr and then Daichi Kamada got the ball stuck under their feet before the latter shot wide.
Substitute Yeremy Pino almost won it for Palace in stoppage time, but Verbruggen got down well to his right to keep out a low shot as the game – as had seemed inevitable for long spells – ended goalless.
