Leeds United: Five frantic minutes at Selhurst Park could define the Whites’ season

“Getting closer” is the correct phrase. Leeds did not win in five league matches, but tied in the last three matches.

With fellow strugglers West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham drawing this weekend, 15th-placed Leeds maintained the three-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

To twist the possible apocryphal words of English cricketer George Hirst against Australia in the 1902 Ashes, Leeds would “get him in the singles”.

Farke also have the best fixtures on paper, having played just one match against a top-six side – Manchester United on April 13 – and home games against the bottom two, Burnley and Wolves.

But there is a nagging feeling that the gap between three points and the relegation zone should have been five.

Since the start of the 2022-23 season, only Liverpool and Fulham have failed to score more penalties than Leeds in the Premier League – despite the Yorkshire side being in the Championship in two of those seasons.

Leeds was denied its first win away from home since September, when it defeated Wolverhampton, bottom of the standings. The only two teams with worse records away from home are the bottom two.

It was even more frustrating for Calvert-Lewin, who overcame a late fitness test with a knee problem to play here and led the line with great physicality.

But after scoring two goals against Palace in December, bringing his personal tally to seven league goals against the Eagles, he scored only three times in 12 league matches.

Farke, a former striker, was philosophical.

“I was happy with his performance overall, and I was happy to accept it [the penalty]. Also, what he did in the second half, that was a crucial part of the day.

He added: “Of course you want to hit the goal and he is disappointed. But this is football, even Harry Kane missed penalty kicks.”

“You were a striker, you missed more penalties than you can count.”