Vieira under increasing pressure after another Palace loss
Crystal Palace's head coach Patrick Vieira waits for the start of the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
Three straight losses, no win in any competition in 2023 and an alarming drop toward the Premier League's relegation zone.
Things are going badly wrong for Crystal Palace and the team's big-name manager, Patrick Vieira.
What won't help the mood at the south London club is the latest defeat coming at big rival Brighton, with Solly March scoring the first-half winner on Wednesday.
Palace's last win in any competition was at Bournemouth in the league on Dec. 31. Since then, there have been seven losses and five draws in 12 games, 11 of them coming in the league.
It is the toughest period for Vieira in the Arsenal playing great's 20 months at Palace.
Although the team is in 12th place in the league, such is the congested nature of the bottom of the standings that Palace is only three points above the relegation zone and five points off last-place Southampton.
Four days after a 0-0 draw at Manchester United, Southampton wasn't able to build on that result at Old Trafford and lost 1-0 at home to Brentford.
Crystal Palace's goalkeeper Joseph Whitworth dives but fails to save the goal from Crystal Palace's Michael Olise during the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
Ivan Toney prodded home the opener in the 32nd minute after a flick-on at a corner, putting him on 16 goals for the campaign — third behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Toney then nodded through for Yoane Wissa to tuck home the second goal in second-half stoppage time.
Brighton and Brentford have never played in European competition but that could be about to change.
Brighton, which is playing some enterprising soccer under Roberto De Zerbi, remained in seventh place but is now tied for points with sixth-place Liverpool, and is only two points behind fifth-place Newcastle.
Brentford is one point further back in eighth.
Brighton and Hove players celebrate after Brighton's Solly March scored his side's opening goal during the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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