Shock favourite for Crystal Palace job revealed as Patrick Vieira sacked as manager

The bookies have a favourite to become the new Crystal Palace manager after Patrick Vieira was sacked on Friday.

Vieira had done a superb job since taking charge at Selhurst Park in 2021, but a run of 11 Premier League matches without a win since the turn of the year ultimately cost him.

In his first and only full season as manager, the former Arsenal midfielder took Palace to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and secured a 12th-place finish in the Premier League.

In 2021-22 Palace took four points off eventual league champions Manchester City, prompting some to suggest that Vieira could be the man to one day replace Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Vieira brought a refreshing, attack-minded style of play to the club, but as the cliche goes, football is a results business.

A midweek defeat to Brighton left the Eagles just three points above the relegation zone with just 27 points from 27 games.

With just 11 matches of the season remaining, Palace chairman Steve Parish must now hire a coach he believes can simultaneously steer the club away from relegation while also leading them to a better campaign next term.

According to SkyBet, former Palace and England boss Roy Hodgson is 5/4 on to return to the Selhurst Park dugout.

Roy Hodgson is the favourite to replace Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace 👀 pic.twitter.com/3nuT8BSjqq

— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) March 17, 2023

It was Hodgson who Vieira replaced in the summer of 2021, and at the time he hinted at retirement.

However, in January 2022 Hodgson took charge of relegation-threatened Watford, although he was unable to prevent them from dropping down into the Championship.

When the 75-year-old left Vicarage Road he said he didn't intend to return to management, but with Hodgson you never quite know.

Sky have got former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch as next favourite at 7/1, while Swiss coach Lucien Favre - recently sacked by French side Nice - is 8/1 along with former Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Rafa Benitez - who has been out of management since he was sacked by Everton in January last year - is 10/1, while another former Toffees boss, Frank Lampard, is 14/1.

Sam Allardyce and Steven Gerrard are outside shots at 16/1 and 20/1 respectively, while Will Still - whose club, Reims, is fined every time he sits in the dugout because he still doesn't hold a UEFA Pro coaching license - is 25/1.