Patrick: City win set us up

Patrick Vieira says crystal Palace’s shock win at Manchester city in October helped accelerate his plans to make his mark at Selhurst Park.

the eagles boss has been praised for the way he has imposed a new playing style after succeeding roy Hodgson last summer.

the highlight of the campaign has been October’s 2-0 win at the etihad Stadium.

Believe

“i think that win built a kind of reference for what we want as a team,” said the manager (above).

“Winning at the etihad, you believe more in the way you want to play. it allowed me to be even more demanding on certain things and players.

“it helped me to reinforce some of my messages to the players, individually and collectively.” sight of goal.

“Pep has worked with me a lot to improve more in my runs, to be more in the box and to be where you can score goals,” said Mahrez.

“But for us attacking players, he always gives us the freedom in the last 30 metres. You can do whatever you want.

“He obviously gives you the information of where he thinks the spaces are but at the end it is about you. The pitch belongs to us and he will never stop you from dribbling or anything else.”

Season

Guardiola believes Mahrez can reach even higher this season.

And with some big dates in the diary it bodes well that he claimed players with his sort of bottle for the big occasion do not come along often in a manager’s career.

“I admire the way Riyad handles the pressure. He likes to play on the biggest stages and it is difficult to find players like that in top clubs,” said Guardiola.

City travel to Selhurst Park to face a side looking to do the double over the Premier League champions following their shock 2-0 win at the Etihad in October. But Guardiola is unbeaten in five league trips to Palace, winning four, and believes his side have the tools to break them down.

“In that game, they defended incredibly well in the final third and it is so difficult to attack them and create chances,” he said.

“That’s why you have to be so patient, not concede many chances and in the right moment it depends on the quality of the players.”