'Foundation was there’ - Patrick Vieira makes bold Roberto De Zerbi claim ahead of Brighton v Crystal Palace

The two teams, and managers, meet at the Amex this [Wednesday] evening in contrasting circumstances.

De Zerbi has been widely praised for his work in East Sussex since succeeding Potter in September.

The 43-year-old has put the Seagulls on the brink of qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League, and has guided Albion to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Vieira, meanwhile, is under pressure following Crystal Palace’s dismal start to 2023.

Palace have yet to win in the Premier League this year. The south London outfit last picked up three points on New Year’s Eve – winning 2-0 at third-from-bottom AFC Bournemouth.

The 12th-placed Eagles are just three points clear of the drop going into tonight’s game at Brighton.

Speaking ahead of the highly-anticipated derby, Vieira said: “He [De Zerbi] has done really well, obviously, with the way they play but the foundation was there before he arrived.

“They’re a team who like to have the ball, create overloads in midfield and the way they move is difficult to maintain. But we have the quality to cause them problems.

“I think they have a really good squad, good players, [and] they have a clear philosophy about how they want to play the game.

“The new manager comes in and just has to keep doing what has been done the last couple of years [under Graham Potter].

“Here at Palace, it has been different. The way we wanted to play has changed, and of course we need time and stability to really make it more successful.

“That is why I am working hard with the players to try and play the way we want to play.”