Crystal Palace sacked manager Patrick Vieira on Friday, and the favorites to replace him in the dugout at Selhurst Park have been revealed, with Rafa Benitez leading the way.
The Frenchman was on a run of 12 games without a win, stretching back to New Year’s Eve, 2022, when the Eagles beat Bournemouth. This week, Crystal Palace were beaten 1-0 by rivals Brighton & Hove Albion to seal Vieira’s fate.
Crystal Palace head to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday to face Arsenal without having confirmed if a caretaker manager or permanent boss will oversee the fixture.
However, a surprise name in Rafa Benitez heads the bookmakers’ favorite to take charge of the Eagles for the remainder of the season. Priced at 10/3 by Betfair, Benitez seems the most likely manager to take over from Vieira and be tasked with keeping the club in the Premier League.
Benitez hasn’t managed since Everton sacked him in January 2022, with the club languishing above the drop zone.
While they’re still only 12th, Crystal Palace are only three points above the relegation zone and in danger of dropping down to the Championship next season if they’re unable to halt the slide. Benitez is keen for his next job in football, too, but will face competition from former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, according to the bookies.
The Austrian comes in at 5/1, closely followed by Nuno Espirito Santo at 6/1. The list also includes out of work managers such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Marcelo Bielsa, with Alan Pardew also given a possibility of returning to the club he once took to the FA Cup final in 2016.
West Brom manager Carlos Corberan and Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou are also among the ten favorites to be in situ at Crystal Palace in the coming days, but both seem unlikely options considering their allegiances to the clubs they are currently in charge of.
Who will be the next Crystal Palace manager? Odds on the next boss
Rafa Benitez – 10/3
Ralph Hasenhuttl – 5/1
Nuno Espirito Santo – 6/1
Marcelo Bielsa – 15/2
Carlos Corberan – 9/1
Steven Gerrard – 10/1
Frank Lampard – 10/1
Ange Postecoglou – 11/1
Alan Pardew – 11/1