Vieira left frustrated after Palace throw away victory
LONDON: Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira was disappointed after a lastgasp equaliser from substitute Alexandre Lacazette denied them a win against his former club Arsenal in a pulsating Premier League clash on Monday.
Having fallen behind to an early Pierre-Emmerick Aubameyang goal, Palace stormed back through Christian Benteke and Odsonne Edouard before Lacazette struck with the last kick of the game.
Vieira, who won three league titles and four FA Cups with Arsenal as a player, said Palace needed to stop conceding late goals in order to turn draws into wins.
“We have to learn from the games we played previously. I am really disappointed because the way the team came back in the second half, they deserved to win,” he told Sky Sports.
“I am frustrated for them, they were brave and showed character. We have to put our sleeves up and put our bodies on the line. We were really unlucky today.
“The players were really frustrated because we threw away two points. To concede a goal like that is really difficult to accept but these games will make us stronger.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta criticised his players for switching off after taking the lead.
“We started the game very well but after the goal we didn’t manage it enough,” he told the BBC. “We didn’t have composure or control.
“We gave the ball away two times for the two goals. We gave cheap goals away.
“The most positive thing is we kept going. They kept believing until the end and that’s how we managed to get a point.”