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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Alex James

Vincent Kompany tells Crystal Palace why they've made a Patrick Vieira mistake

Vincent Kompany believes Crystal Palace have made a mistake in sacking Patrick Vieira.

The Eagles axed Kompany's former Man City team-mate on Friday with Palace yet to win a Premier League game in 2023. But Kompany, who takes his Burnley side to the Etihad on Saturday in the FA Cup, feels Palace have made a mistake.

Vieira and Kompany played together for 18 months at City and the Clarets boss believes it's a decision Palace could regret as they attempt to beat the drop in the top flight.

Also read: Meet the McAtees - City prospect James and brother chasing same FA Cup dream

"When I heard the news, rather than to be emotional, I try to understand why and I looked at the league table first and was just checking, and I thought Palace were in the bottom three and five points behind and I see they are 12th and three poins clear of relegation.

"So for my objective rational mind I would say Crystal Palace would be very happy if they are not in the relegation zone based on the squad they have assembled.

"Then I head it is about the run of games and I see Newcastle, Chelsea, United, twice City, in-form teams Brentford and Brighton. I see that Zaha has been missing for games in that spell and I see the game that are left, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Everton. All the teams they are competing are still to come and they have just had the hardest run of the season.

"Then it doesn’t sit well with me. If you are underachieving in your job, then I think it is fair enough if a club makes a decision but if you are overachieving, which is what they are doing, then whoever is making the decision has to come forward because what you have done is taken out a manager who is overachieving, no matter which way you want to turn it. That I think is a problem in general in football."

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