Crystal Palace have sacked manager Patrick Vieira after a 12-match winless run. Palace have not won a match in 2023 and were beaten 1-0 by Brighton in the Premier League on Wednesday, their third defeat in a row. They are 12th in the table but are only three points above 18th-placed Bournemouth, who have a game in hand. “It is with enormous regret that this difficult decision has been made,” chairman Steve Parish said.
“Ultimately, results in recent months have placed us in a precarious league position and we felt a change is necessary to give us the best chance of retaining Premier League status.” Frenchman Vieira, 46, was appointed before the start of the 2021-22 season and led the Eagles to a 12th-placed finish, earning praise for an attacking style. However, this season they have scored just 21 goals in 27 games – only Wolves, Everton and bottom-of-the-table Southampton have fewer.
Before their defeat by Brighton, Palace had gone three consecutive games without a shot on target. No Premier League team has won fewer points in 2023 than Palace, who have taken five from a possible 33. Three members of Vieira’s coaching staff – Osian Roberts, Kristian Wilson and Said Aigoun – have also left the club and the process of appointing a new manager is under way.
