Vieira notes respect for manager of the month but airs Palace transfer concern
Patrick Vieira has shared his respect for Nuno Espirito Santo with the two set to face off in the dugouts in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Nuno picked up August’s Premier League Manager of the Month award for his impressive start to life as Tottenham boss. Three 1-0 wins gave him the edge over Thomas Tuchel, David Moyes and Rafael Benitez. Vieira, on the other hand, is still yet to pick up three points as Crystal Palace boss.
They’ve played three London derbies so far, losing one and drawing two, and the French manager is aiming high for one better this weekend.
“I think he [Nuno] is doing fantastically well,” he said. “It’s difficult to do better than that (his start). We went to West Ham and played with personality and tomorrow will be the same.
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“It is an important game for us, we want to win and we want the three points. It is a derby and we have to focus on the process of getting the three points.”
Palace worked hard to earn a point against the Hammers last time out. One of Vieira’s signings, Conor Gallagher, was the star man, grabbing a brace.
And now he’s set to receive another boost as another of his summer acquisition’s is in line to make his debut.
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Speaking on team news, he said: “Jeff Schlupp came back with injury. Out with a hamstring injury. Everyone else is back fit. (Eberechi) Eze and Nathan Ferguson progressing but out. Michael Olise is going to be involved.”
Olise took the Championship by storm last season despite still only being 19 years old.
He scored seven goals and set up a further 12 for Reading so was an exciting get for Palace in the transfer market.
Improvement on show, says Vieira
However, Vieira has suggested he is not totally happy with their summer business. Indeed, he feels like they would have been better off with more new faces.
He said: “We are a little bit short in some places. We wanted to do more business, but overall I’m really satisfied with the business that we did.
“We brought in some young talent and I think we have a squad that can compete in the Premier League.
“It was good to have the two weeks to have training and the time with the players working together. We showed in the game against West Ham that we are improving.”
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