Patrick Vieira said he was pleased to get a home draw against Hartlepool United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, but insisted he would be making no exception to playing lower-league opposition and would field his strongest side. Thankfully for the Eagles, Michael Olise scored a brilliant goal and then set up Jean-Philippe Mateta to score the winner in the second half, with Palace going on to draw Hartlepool at Selhurst Park in the next round.
Patrick Vieira said: “It’s always a good draw when you play at home. But the experience is telling me that there isn’t an easy draw in the FA Cup. When you look at how difficult it was against Millwall and you’re also looking at teams who you expect to go through and they didn’t. So we will play the best team possible to go through to the next round.”
Hartlepool are the third-lowest ranked side left in the FA Cup this year, with only National League Boreham Wood and National League North Kidderminster Harriers lower down in the English football pyramid. The third round saw plenty of giant killings, with Kidderminster beating Championship side Reading to go through while Premier League Newcastle United went out to League One Cambridge United.
Patrick Vieira added: “I think when you are League One, League Two or even the National League, going to a Premier League side is always a good experience. But you will be motivated because you want to create an upset. These teams coming up [against] the Premier League sides have nothing to lose. This is what will make it really difficult. There’s not going to be any easy games and this one is not going to be an easy game for us.”
Palace have already done their bit to help Hartlepool United on the day of the game by subsidising official coach travel for away fans to come to Selhurst Park. The game will take place on Saturday, February 5, and Pool fans will face a 600-mile roundtrip to south London and back to watch their team.
