Bournemouth missed the opportunity to stay in touch with the Premier League’s top four after they were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace.
The points were shared at the Vitality Stadium following a game of few clear opportunities and a general lack of quality.
Bournemouth were seeking a fifth win in six games, and carried the greater threat for large periods of the contest.
However, Andoni Iraola’s side were forced to settle for a point, with Palace extending their unbeaten away streak to five league games.
Bournemouth are sixth following the result, four points behind fourth place. Oliver Glasner’s Palace are 16th and move five points clear of the relegation zone.
How the match unfolded
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Dango Ouattara both shot narrowly wide in the opening 20 minutes, while Ismaila Sarr made an important clearance from Antoine Semenyo inside the six-yard box.
Sarr thought he had put Palace ahead at the other end when he calmly raced away from the defence and tucked home, only to be denied by the offside flag.
Both sides went close early in the second half. Eberechi Eze tested Kepa Arrizabalaga from distance and, moments later, Enes Unal could not quite divert Justin Kluivert’s shot beyond Dean Henderson.
Clear chances did not fall too freely in the second half, though Bournemouth looked the more likely to snatch all three points.
Substitutes Evanilson and Philip Billing dragged attempts agonisingly wide, while Semenyo’s header also flashed the wrong side of the post as the two teams settled for a point apiece.
Bournemouth lacking Boxing Day punch
Fresh from a second 3-0 victory at Old Trafford in as many seasons, in-form Bournemouth arrived in this game with the chance to potentially move into the top four, should Forest have lost to Tottenham at the City Ground.
The Cherries had not lost a home match on Boxing Day since 2003, though they were not quite packing the necessary punch this time around.
This was epitomised during the first half when Ouattara fed Semenyo in space in the box, though the latter ultimately had too much time and a loose first touch saw the chance go begging.
Nevertheless, Iraola’s side looked the more likely of the two teams to score. They were denied by fine margins, with efforts from Evanilson, Billing and Semenyo all fractionally on the wrong side of the post.
Ultimately, it proved a frustrating day for the hosts, and they will travel to Fulham on 29 December without Kluivert, who is suspended following his early yellow card for kicking the ball away.
Palace extend unbeaten away streak
Palace have not enjoyed much festive cheer recently – each of their last three Boxing Day matches had ended in 3-0 defeats.
The Eagles conceded five goals against Arsenal last Saturday, but had momentum on the road to build on. They sought a third straight away league win for the first time in over five-and-a-half years.
While Bournemouth looked the more threatening of the two sides, Palace did have the ball in the net at the Vitality Stadium, albeit after Sarr had strayed offside.
Glasner’s side also remained firm at the other end of the field, securing only a second clean sheet in 10 matches across all competitions.
However, Marc Guehi will be missing from their defence for Sunday’s visit of bottom side Southampton. That is one of three successive home games to come for Palace, who now turn their attention towards ending a run of four matches without victory at Selhurst Park.
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