Patrick Vieira makes Tyrick Mitchell admission ahead of Crystal Palace vs Leeds at Selhurst Park

Patrick Vieira said he understands Tyrick Mitchell is going through a “difficult period” at Crystal Palace but is confident the full-back will finish the season strongly.

The 22-year-old academy graduate has been one of Palace’s most consistent performers this season and has started all 32 of the club’s Premier League fixtures so far. He was voted the team’s player of the month for November before earning his first call-up to the England senior team in March, making his debut off the bench in a friendly against Switzerland before starting against Ivory Coast three days later.

But in recent games, the full-back has come under some scrutiny for his role in giving away goals. Against Chelsea, at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final, he was dispossessed by Cesar Azpilicueta in the build-up to the Blues’ opener before, against Newcastle last week, Miguel Almiron held off Mitchell’s attempts to block his route to goal before curling what turned out to be the winner into the net.

Vieira acknowledged that the left-back was going through a tough time of late, though he backed him to become a better player for it.

"He's a young player who has played a lot of football," the Frenchman told last week. "He's been doing really well for us, a football club and as a team. He's going through a difficult period, but those periods will make him a better player. During a career - it can be at the start, in the middle or at the end - you will go through a difficult period, and it's about you manage those difficult periods.

"The best way we can do that is with his teammates, myself and the staff and club supporting him. There's no doubt about the way we see him as a player and as a person. It's not like we have to focus him more, we will