“Perform in a better way”- Vieira opens up on preparations to face Graham Potter’s Chelsea

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira on how he is preparing to face Chelsea under Graham Potter

Speaking to the media ahead of the game against Chelsea (h/t Official Crystal Palace website), Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira talked about how he is going to prepare his team against Graham Potter and why the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss deserved a shot at working with one of the top teams.

The London derby will be Potter’s first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea after managing one against RB Salzburg in the Champions League. He has faced Palace before but as a Brighton manager.

For that reason, Vieira touched upon looking at what the Blues manager has been doing with the Seagulls and also analysing his first game at Stamford Bridge.

Here’s what the Frenchman said regarding his preparations for the game (h/t Official Crystal Palace website):

“We just look at what he has been doing at Brighton, and analysing the first game [Chelsea] played in the Champions League. Seeing if there is something we can take to allow ourselves to perform in a better way.”

The Palace manager then alluded to Potter’s deserved rise in his stock as a manager. He will wish the Englishman his best, but only after the game on Saturday.

“When a manager works well for a couple of years, he deserves a chance in one of the top teams. When you look at his record in the last couple of years, he’s been doing fantastically well with Brighton and today he’s with Chelsea.

“I wish him all the best – after the game on Saturday.”

The Palace game will be Chelsea’s first of 13 in a gruelling period between October and the early parts of November before the World Cup. This period will contain key league games along with some monumental Champions League encounters.

With the postponements of games around the death of the Queen before the international break, Potter has had time to acclimatise to the new surroundings and know the players well. Although the upcoming 42 days won’t be easy, he is not in a new job anymore to feel unsettled.

More Chelsea News:

• Chelsea striker Armando Broja wants to mould his game around Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane
• Robert Huth believes appointing Graham potter could cost Chelsea a top-four finish
• Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic would accept a move to AC Milan in January

After Saturday, Chelsea have a must-win game in Europe against AC Milan before a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the league next weekend. No game will be easy, especially given the current form of this team.