Bluebirds pick up only their second point on the road and they had to work hard for it.
Cardiff escaped Selhurst Park with a valuable point after Crystal Palace missed a host of chances in a 0-0 draw, writes Sky Sports.
Palace were unlucky not to take the lead in a dominant first half that saw Andros Townsend hit the bar and near misses from Wilfried Zaha, Luka Milivojevic and Townsend again.
Cardiff struggled in the second half to resist a Palace onslaught but somehow stayed level thanks to the woodwork, some wayward finishing from Palace's strikers, and a series of saves by keeper Neil Etheridge.
The result means that Cardiff stay out the relegation zone while Palace remain in 14th place.
Palace could have taken the lead after just two minutes when Townsend hit the bar after fine work by Zaha to play him through.
Townsend then had another great opportunity when Patrick van Aanholt set him up just outside the box, while Milivojevic, Zaha, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka also went close from distance.
Cardiff finally had chances through Junior Hoilett and Bobby Reid, but were very lucky to get into the break level after Palace continued to push for an opener.
Zaha worked tirelessly in the second half to create chance upon chance for an Eagles side that struggled desperately for accuracy, and when they did hit the target they were met with the very safe hands of Cardiff stopper Neil Etheridge.
Etheridge, however, was rooted when Milivojevic curled a free-kick in from 23 yards that struck the crossbar, and could only watch as Connor Wickham missed a glorious opportunity from six yards.
Cardiff had a chance of their own towards the end but were denied by a fine save from Vicente Guaita. Cardiff 'keeper Etheridge also pulled enough another fine save to deny Van Aanholt in the final minutes.
The result means that Cardiff stay just afloat of the relegation zone, while Palace keep distance between themselves at the bottom in 14th, though they will be disappointed they didn't take all three points today.
Stats
- Crystal Palace mustered 31 shots in the game, their highest tally of shots in a Premier League game since 2003-04.
- Crystal Palace's 31 shots was the joint-most Cardiff have ever faced in a Premier League game, level with their clash with Norwich City in October 2013 which also ended 0-0.
- Cardiff are winless in their last five league games played on Boxing Day (D2 L3), with their last such win coming against Crystal Palace in 2012-13 (2-1).
- Crystal Palace have registered three consecutive home clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since April 2017.
- This game was the first-ever Premier League meeting between two managers aged over 70, with Cardiff boss Neil Warnock aged 70y 25d and Crystal Palace's Roy Hodgson aged 71y 139d on the day of the game.
- Each of Roy Hodgson's five Premier League games on Boxing Day have ended 0-0.
- Cardiff manager Neil Warnock is unbeaten in his last 10 away league games at Selhurst Park (W6 D4).
Crystal Palace: Guaita; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt; McArthur, Kouyate, Milivojevic (c), Meyer (Wickham 63), Zaha, Townsend
Subs n/u: Speroni, Ward, Dann, Ayew, Schlupp, Puncheon
Cardiff City: Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison (c), Manga Bamba Bennett; Camarasa (Gunnarsson 90), Ralls; Hoilett (Arter 90), Harris; Reid
Subs n/u: Smithies, Murphy, Cunningham, Mendez-Laing, Madine
Yellow card: Bamba 31, Hoilett 45, Ralls 74
Referee: Lee Probert