Leeds United's Premier League rivals Crystal Palace have sacked Patrick Vieira with immediate effect after a run of 11 games without a win.
A disastrous streak has left the Eagles hovering just three points above the drop zone - forcing chairman Steve Parish to pull the trigger. Defeat to bitter rivals Brighton in midweek proved the final straw, with Palace yet to win a game in 2023.
A deceptive league position shows the South London outfit in 12th, despite racking up just four more points than 19th-placed Leeds United. The Whites are set to take on Palace at Elland Road on April 8.
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Parish confirmed Vieira’s exit on the club website, along with assistants Osian Roberts, Kristian Wilson and Said Aigoun. A statement read: “It is with enormous regret that this difficult decision has been made.
“Ultimately, results in recent months have placed us in a precarious league position and we felt a change is necessary to give us the best chance of retaining Premier League status.
"That said, Patrick’s impact since joining us in the summer of 2021 has been significant, and he is held in the highest regard by myself, and all of his colleagues. He led the team to a Wembley FA Cup semi-final and a respectable 12th-placed finish last season, playing some exciting football, which was a challenging, and crucial campaign for the club given the changes we made to the squad prior to his arrival.
"Patrick has given his all to the club, and we all thank him and his team for their service. We also wish Patrick, Osian, Kristian and Saïd the very best for their futures.”
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