Vito Mannone is pushing to become Crawley Town's number one goalkeeper after joining the League Two club as a player-coach. The 38-year-old former Arsenal and Sunderland stopper has impressed in pre-season and started the 2-0 victory over York, with head coach Colin Kazim-Richards confirming he is favouring the veteran for the starting role.
How has Vito Mannone performed since joining Crawley Town?
Mannone joined Crawley Town in the summer and immediately featured in pre-season matches, where he competed with Jackson Izquierdo and Nick Michalski for the goalkeeper position. Despite strong showings from the former Crystal Palace keeper and the Blackburn loanee, Kazim-Richards has indicated Mannone is currently ahead in the pecking order. The Italian international played his last competitive game in 2024 but has shown sharpness in training and match preparations.
What did Colin Kazim-Richards say about the goalkeeper competition?
Speaking after Mannone's start against York, Kazim-Richards stated: "Vito's showing me that he should play." He added that competition now exists across the squad, something Crawley Town has lacked in recent seasons, and emphasised that selection ultimately rests with him as head coach.
Where does this leave Crawley Town's goalkeeping options?
Izquierdo and Michalski remain involved and are pushing Mannone for the starting jersey, with Kazim-Richards acknowledging their quality. The manager confirmed that every position in the team now faces internal competition, marking a shift from last season when such depth was absent. This internal battle is expected to continue ahead of the upcoming fixture against Watford.
Crawley Town will look to build on their early-season form when they host Watford this Saturday, with Mannone likely to retain his place between the posts as the team aims to climb the League Two standings. You can see the full list of upcoming games on our fixtures page.
