PATRICK VIEIRA was NEVER going to get Crystal Palace relegated.
That’s according to Micah Richards, who believes the Arsenal legend’s sacking makes zero sense.
Vieira, who joined Palace in July 2021, was shown the door by Steve Parish on Friday after failing to win a single game this year.
The Eagles are just three points above the drop zone.
And their latest defeat came in a 4-1 loss at Arsenal on Sunday.
Palace could now turn to former boss Roy Hodgson to save their season.
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But ex-England and Man City star Richards reckons Vieira was more than capable of turning things around.
He believes the Frenchman was already on the right track with some decent performances this year.
Palace still have to play every single team below them in the table.
And there’s no chance their winless run will continue for much longer.
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But Richards fears Vieira could struggle to land a new job after also getting the chop at OGC Nice.
And like fellow legendary midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, Vieira could find himself on the sidelines for a while.
Richards told the Mail: “I’ve been around football long enough to know that nothing should come as a surprise, yet I still can’t get my head around this decision.
“There is no way Patrick would have taken them down and nothing makes sense about the owners getting rid of him in the middle of March.
“Palace have to play all eight teams below them so there’s every reason to think they would have got enough points.
“Patrick will get another chance somewhere but I’ve been concerned about how things have gone for him and his peers.
“They are talented and I hope owners do not think they are a gamble after their experiences.”
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