“There is more to come,” said Vieira of Hughes in his pre-match press conference. “The more he will play, the better he will be. I think this is a position where there is competition, and this is what is good.
“The competition we have in midfield will bring the best of each one of them, and that will be really good for the team.
“I was and am really pleased by the game he played, and now what’s important for him is to maintain that performance, and be even better.”
Hughes was not the only player to catch Vieira’s eye, and the manager was full of praise for Jordan Ayew and Conor Gallagher’s relationship.
“I was really pleased,” he explained. “Those two had a really good, strong relationship on the right-hand side.
“That’s what we need to build as well on the other side of the field, so the balance will be better and allow us to become stronger.”
Vieira spoke highly of Southampton, as he prepares to welcome the Saints to Selhurst Park on Wednesday evening.
“The loss they had was quite tough,” he said. “They played well. They played some really good football, created chances. It’s a team that plays on the front foot.