Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira is eager to unleash his summer signings on Tottenham in today's derby.
Vieira says he hopes Odsonne Edouard and Will Hughes can make a big impact against Spurs this weekend, in what could be their first appearances since signing for Crystal Palace.
Edouard joined from Celtic on deadline day, while Hughes signed from Watford before the international break.
“I think the international break helped them," Vieira said in his pre-match press conference. “To take time to work and to know the team, the players, the way we want to play. I'm really happy with the two players.
“They are really good on the ball, they have really good quality. I think Odsonne can play with his back against the goal, he can hold the ball, he can run in behind. He's a really interesting player with experience at European level.
“Will is really good technically. He will be a really important player for us. He hasn't trained very much in the last couple of weeks, but he has caught up quite well lately. He is somebody that will allow us to play a little bit quicker going forwards."
The manager also reserved special praise for fellow new arrivals Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher.
“He has the ability to be a captain," he said of Guehi, after the defender was handed the armband at England Under-21 level. “He is a natural leader. He is really calm, he is really composed, and that is the sign of leadership.
“I'm really happy with the way he is conducting himself at the moment on and off the field."
Vieira was impressed with Gallagher's brace against West Ham United last time out, and reacted to comparisons with the midfielder's childhood hero Frank Lampard.
“I think it will be a big challenge to score as many goals as Frank did in his career, but I think it is a really good comparison, because he has the kind of physical ability to get inside the box and score chances.
“If you look at the two goals he scored against West Ham, showing the desire to get inside the box and then the quality to finish them the way he did. That's the challenge for him: getting into that dangerous area to get those chances and score those goals."
