Vieira on Chelsea, Mitchell and loanees

First-team

9 Jan 2023

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira is not expecting either side’s recent form to bear too great an influence on Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Chelsea.

Chelsea go into the match at Stamford Bridge having won just one of their last nine games in all competitions, but Vieira – speaking at his pre-match press conference – reiterated that he is more focused on the quality of the opposition.

The manager said: “It’s not the best time to play Chelsea [now], and it won’t be the best time to play [Manchester] United next week.

“Yes, Chelsea are a team going through a difficult period, but every team’s going [to go] through those periods in a season.

“We look at them and we’re not just looking at the last two or three games, we’re looking at their players, how well they’ve been playing, and in their last game against Fulham, the way they started the game – they started really well – so the quality of individual talent is there.

“The biggest mistake we could make is going on the field and thinking that we will take advantage because they are going through a difficult period. This is not the approach we will have on Sunday.”

Recalling Palace’s late defeat to the same opposition in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park, Vieira added: “Of course the game we played at home and the late goal we conceded is still in our minds.

“Overall, when you look at that game, we created enough chances to hurt them, to score goals, and this what we we need to keep in mind: how can we play a game of football which will put them in trouble?

“That is what is important for me: to have a really clear game plan that we can execute as best as we can to try to win the game.”

Vieira also confirmed that left-back Tyrick Mitchell, on his return from suspension, is likely to be involved in his starting eleven, after Joel Ward played in that position in recent matches.

The manager noted: “It will be a decision that’s not going to be easy because Wardy, on the left hand side, while it’s not his favourite position, did a good job for the team, but with Tyrick coming back, he will be starting the game. He will play, because he’s the best left-back that we have.”

Vieira also commented on two recent loan departures – those of forward John-Kymani Gordon, who made a goalscoring debut for Carlisle United on Saturday, and midfielder Killian Phillips, who drew high praise from his management following his first game for Shrewsbury Town.

Vieira said of Gordon’s move: “We talked about it with [Under-21s manager] Paddy [McCarthy] and [Sporting Director] Dougie [Freedman], and it was important to give him this kind of challenge of playing men’s football every week.

“He’s been training with the first-team for the last couple of months and he was doing well. He was just waiting for the kind of opportunity I couldn’t give him, but I was really pleased and really happy with the way he was conducting himself on and off the field, and we just believed it was the best option for him to grow, to give him that exposure.”

Vieira added of Phillips: “He’s a really good character. He’s the kind of player that will give 200 per cent for the team.

“He’s a team player and I do understand why the [Shrewsbury] manager really liked him, because he’s working hard, and I think the same. He trained and has been with the first-team on tour, but he needed to play every week men’s football.

“With those kind of experiences, I believe he will be back with more confidence. It is good for those players to go and challenge themselves.”

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