‘I would not put those two games together’ – Palace boss on back-to-back derby defeats at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira said he would not put the performance in Wednesday’s 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the same category as the 3-0 loss at Selhurst Park to Fulham last time out.

Palace had two players – Tyrick Mitchell and James Tomkins – sent off in the Boxing Day defeat to Marco Silva’s Fulham side. Vieira’s South Londoners also failed to register a shot on target.

Spurs scored four second-half goals to condemn Palace to their heaviest defeat under Vieira, who took over from Roy Hodgson at the start of the 2021-22 season. The Eagles have conceded seven goals in their last two outings at home.

“I would not put those two games together,” said Vieira of the Spurs and Fulham fixtures.

“Everything went wrong in the Fulham game – we had two red cards and our attitude wasn’t right.

“Today, with the way we played the game, we had the right attitude, and we were toe-to-toe against them. We created the best chance in the first half and had a really good period.

“If we scored the goal before half time, maybe the game would be different. We came back in the second half, and they scored the goal through bad defending.

“Against Tottenham, when you go one down, it becomes really difficult because they go back with the line of five and the midfield of four – they are really tight and there is no space. In the counter-attack, they can hurt you – that’s what happened to us.”

Vieira picked Jordan Ayew to lead his attacking line against Antonio Conte’s side after the forward opened the scoring in the
2-0 win at Bournemouth on New Year’s Day.

Odsonne Edouard, 24, had been the first-choice striker earlier in the season but picked up a hamstring injury before the season broke for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He has scored four goals this season.

When asked whether the former Celtic forward Edouard was fit enough to start games in the Premier League yet, Vieira said: “Jean-Philippe [Mateta] also came back from injury.

“I have Jordan [Ayew], who did really well in the last game, so there wasn’t any reason for me to change.

“I have a couple of players up front who are capable of playing – they are ready to play.”