The first top-flight meeting between the two clubs at Selhurst Park since 1994 produced a lively opening that saw both teams threaten to snatch an early advantage.
Deputising for the injured Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah’s tame finish lacked the precision of Adam Wharton’s superb threaded pass in the opening minutes, before Ipswich immediately countered as Jayden Philogene-Bidace tested Dean Henderson to set the tone for an entertaining first half.
Palace continued to press with Jefferson Lerma and Eberechi Eze going close, but despite their increasing relegation fears, the Tractor Boys acquitted themselves well with some neat passages of play before the opening half fizzled out with the two sides inseparable at the break.
Palace had scored in 17 of their last 18 games in all competitions, and four minutes into the second half, the hosts almost broke the deadlock in freak circumstances.
An attempt from Eze from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection that looped over Alex Palmer and bounced off the back post and out to safety.
The sides remained deadlocked heading into the final half-hour with Palace fortunate to survive a desperate goalmouth scramble before Sarr hooked the ball away from under his own crossbar.
But Eze posed an ominous threat as he grew in influence, testing Palmer with a curling effort that looked destined for the top-corner, before juggling the ball over a defender’s head and scuffing his subsequent finish.
Chances continued to fall for both sides as the contest headed towards a close. Palace seemed destined to finally break the deadlock when Daniel Muñoz dispossessed Leif Davis on the edge of the box, only to be superbly denied by Palmer.
Minutes later, Ipswich would go close when Ben Johnson sent a close-range header wide, but that miss would prove costly on 82 minutes, as Sarr finally opened the scoring, slipping into the box after linking with Daichi Kamada to produce a dinked finish over Palmer.
The result sees Oliver Glasner’s side claim their first home clean sheet since October, leaving Palace unbeaten in all six Premier League meetings with the Tractor Boys, having now won their last five. Meanwhile, after taking just two points from a possible 27, Ipswich’s miserable run continues.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace)