Patrick Vieira sent a warning to his Crystal Palace players on Tuesday evening that they must improve if they are to progress any further in the FA Cup this season.
The Eagles scraped past Championship side Stoke City 2-1 at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night to advance to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the second time in four years.
Cheikhou Kouyate and Jairo Riedewald popped up with the important goals to send the hosts through having been off the pace for most of the evening against a spirited Potters.
Palace now go into the hat for Thursday night’s draw along with seven other sides but Vieira warned their journey could end if they failed to up their game in the next round.
“I wasn’t really happy with the way we performed, we didn’t play well at all,” said Vieira in his post-match press conference.
"I was really disappointed by the performance.
"We are excited to be in the next round, with the game we played we know how difficult it will be.
"We just have to look at the draw and play better than what we did if we want to go further."
Palace took the lead through Kouyate in the 53rd minute after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s deflected shot landed kindly to him at the back post.
Josh Tymon equalised for the visitors less than five minutes later though as Romaine Sawyers sauntered past Will Hughes and fired a low cross across the box for the Potters wide man to blast home.
Stoke then almost took the lead as Jack Butland’s punch clear from a deep free-kick fell to Liam Moore who produced a good lob that beat everyone but the retreating Joachim Andersen who headed off the line.
With extra-time looming Riedewald - making just his fifth appearance of the season - found the ball at his feet inside the box from a corner and, after taking a touch to set himself, drilled Palace into the quarter-finals with a powerful low effort into the bottom corner.
“It’s been really difficult,” Vieira added after in reference to Riedewald’s game time this season. “It’s not easy for a player not to be in the group or not to be in the squad, but he’s been a real professional. He’s always kept his head up, he has worked hard and waited for his chances.
“Today he came on the field when the team really needed him to score that goal, to perform and to bring his energy. He did it really well."
