Patrick Vieira has been sacked by Crystal Palace following Wednesday night’s 1-0 Premier League defeat at Brighton. The Eagles, who have not scored in 425 minutes of action, have not won since New Year’s Eve when they picked up a 2-0 victory on the road at Bournemouth. So where does Steve Parish turn next? Express Sport analyses five potential managerial candidates for the Selhurst Park hot-seat.
Frank Lampard
An obvious candidate given Lampard is currently out of work following his recent dismissal at Everton.
Whether the former Chelsea midfielder is ready to return mid-season and sign up for another relegation battle is another matter altogether but in terms of location, this could be an attractive proposition for Lampard.
His best managerial work was done at Derby and in his first season at Chelsea when he developed and nurtured young players to help them reach the next step in their careers.
That’s why he could still prove to be an attractive option for Palace, who have lots of exciting talent at their disposal despite their recent demise.
Steven Gerrard
Gerrard flattered to deceive at Aston Villa but he did tighten the Villains up upon arrival in the Midlands last season.
Things quickly turned ugly for the former Liverpool captain in his second season at the helm, however, as Villa stopped scoring goals and started to concede them.
He would represent a gamble at this stage of the season but his pedigree is unquestionable, which is why he still could be of huge interest to Parish.
Out of the list of current managers available with Premier League experience, Gerrard is one of the names that stands out even if he still has so much to prove as a manager.
Ralph Hasenhuttl
Hasenhuttl could be an attractive wildcard pick for Palace given some of the football he got Southampton playing during his heydays at St Mary’s.
Although his team fell away this season, their form since his departure suggests the Austrian was doing a far better job than he previously got credit for.
The former RB Leipzig head coach, who has already turned down the chance to return to Germany with Hoffenheim since his Saints sacking, loves his team to press and hunt down the opposition.
It’s an attractive brand of football that could prove to be a popular choice in south east London, where some fresh energy is required to lift the mood.
Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno was previously on the verge of being appointed Palace boss in June 2021 before a deal collapsed at the eleventh hour.
The former Wolves manager is now working in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad but there is a sense he would be open to returning to the Premier League where he has a point to prove after being sacked by Tottenham in 2021 just months into his tenure.
The Portuguese coach is renowned for playing a back-three, a system that was so effective as he guided Wolves to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in 2019/20.
Nuno’s contract in the Middle East is thought to contain a release clause though meaning Palace would have to reach for the chequebook if they were to agree terms with the 49-year-old.
Lucien Favre
Another option with history as Palace held extensive talks with Favre before offering him the job in 2021 – only to later be rejected by the Swiss boss.
Since then, Favre has returned to Nice and been fired by the French club, who cut his stay short in January.
On the plus side, it means Favre is now available and with Palace now in greater stead than they were nearly two years ago, there is every reason to believe the 65-year-old may now be interested in the vacancy.
Favre would represent somewhat of a gamble though as he has never coached in the Premier League and given the stakes couldn’t be higher, there is significant risk involved.
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