Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira: We’ll need to perform better if want to book FA Cup semi-final spot

Patrick Vieira says that his Crystal Palace squad will have to perform better if they want to progress further in the FA Cup after their 2-1 fifth round win against Championship side Stoke City last night.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the 53rd minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta’s scuffed shot deflected off James Chester and fell to the feet of Cheikhou Kouyate to slam home.

But Stoke quickly found the equaliser five minutes later when Romaine Sawyers was allowed to drift inside the area and find Josh Tymon at the back post to slot past Jack Butland.

Joachim Andersen headed Liam Moore’s shot off the line in the 79th minute to deny Stoke the lead.

Jairo Riedewald eventually booked Palace’s place in the last eight after Jack Bonham’s clearance fell to the Dutch 25-year-old on the edge of the box, and he fired a shot through a crowd of bodies.

Palace last progressed to this stage of the competition in 2019 under Roy Hodgson.

“We are really pleased to go through to the quarter-finals,” said Vieira.

“Today was a difficult game for us – we didn’t play our best. But we managed to go through to the next round, and that was important.

“There were a couple of moments when we were in the opposition half, and we didn’t use it well. But the save from Joachim Andersen off the line was important for us.

“I wasn’t happy with the way that we performed. Today, we didn’t play well at all. I was really disappointed by the performances.”

The Eagles are only one win away from a semi-final clash at Wembley.

“It’s a really exciting moment. But there is still one step away from Wembley,” said Vieira when asked if he had allowed himself to dream of leading the Eagles out at the national stadium.

“We are pleased, and we are happy to go to the next round, but I was really disappointed with the way that we played.

“Today, we didn’t play well – we didn’t use the ball well enough, we didn’t create enough chances, and we didn’t defend well as a team. If we want to go further, we will have to play better.

“We have an exciting couple of games coming in the Premier League – we are also in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

“It’s important to understand what we want to achieve as a team and as a football club. It can be an exciting season.

“We are in a position that is really exciting for us, and we don’t want to throw it away. We have to play every single game like it’s the last one. I want us to be more determined in every game and work well and play well to allow ourselves to win more football matches.

“Today, that wasn’t the case.”

PICTURES: ROB AVIS