Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira must unleash winger Michael Olise for the Eagles' Premier League home match against Watford today.

The south London outfit recorded a deserved 2-1 win at Southampton last weekend as Wilfried Zaha's added time strike saw Vieira's men come from behind to secure victory on the south coast.

The Ivory Coast international didn't start the match and neither did Olise, whilst fellow wide man Eberechi Eze scored his first goal since returning from injury.

However, on the right flank was Jordan Ayew, who has scored just twice all season and ought to be dropped. Therefore, the Palace boss has a big decision to make as to who he deploys out wide.

Olise had a 16-minute cameo last weekend at St Mary's but, at just 20 years of age, is already a hugely exciting asset for the Eagles.

On the chalkboard

In his debut top-flight campaign, the Frenchman has scored four goals and provided a whopping eight assists across all competitions, making him the club's joint-fifth top scorer for the season so far.

Whilst at Reading last season, Olise's team-mate Sam Baldock described the youngster as "fearless" whilst also claiming that he is a "real talent".

With Palace's Premier League safety all but confirmed, Vieira can afford to tinker with his side to give him a better idea of who should remain in his plans for next season. Therefore, involving his fellow countryman from the start today offers virtually no risk whatsoever.

There's no doubt that the £19.8m-rated playmaker will be in the 45-year-old's mind regarding how to deploy him next season but, with so much potential, the young Frenchman deserves to see an improvement on this campaign's 11 Premier League starts for 2022/23.

Moreover, against a Watford side hanging onto their top-flight status by a thread, the winger could certainly gain confidence from running riot against the league's third-worst defence, which has conceded a whopping 69 goals in 34 matches.

Of course, there are other exciting talents knocking on the door to start today, but the sensation that is Olise certainly deserves to get the nod to start against the Hornets.

AND in other news: Vieira may finally axe "inevitable" 142-goal Palace dynamo as twist emerges