Pierre Sage Vows to Fight On as Crystal Palace Slip Into Relegation Zone
Pierre Sage has promised to be back first on Crystal Palace’s training pitch on Monday after the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham left his side in the Premier League relegation zone.
The Palace head coach remains under growing pressure following a third consecutive league defeat, but insisted he will not walk away from the fight. Palace have taken only two wins from Sage’s first seven matches in charge.
Saturday’s match swung sharply in Tottenham’s favour after 13 minutes. Jean-Philippe Mateta was initially booked by referee Michael Oliver for a high, studs-first challenge on Micky van de Ven’s Achilles, before VAR upgraded the punishment to a red card.
Tottenham then controlled a largely one-sided contest, recording 34 attempts and scoring once in each half through Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke. The result delivered a third straight Premier League victory for Roberto De Zerbi’s team.
Palace affected by Mateta ban and relegation-zone pressure
- Mateta will now face a suspension after his dismissal against Spurs.
- Sage’s position is likely to come under greater scrutiny after last weekend’s home loss to Newcastle was followed by another league defeat.
- Palace are in the bottom three after seven fixtures under their new manager.
- Tottenham handed 18-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett his Premier League debut late in the match.
Sage said Palace’s league position was unacceptable but reflected their work on the pitch. He told supporters they could rely on his commitment, adding that he would give everything to turn the situation around.
“The only way I can change it is on the training ground,” Sage said. “I want to be there first on Monday. I will not give up.”
He added that the performance had angered him and would drive him to prepare the strongest possible session for his players.
De Zerbi wants sharper finishing
De Zerbi praised Tottenham’s control, saying his side allowed virtually no Palace counter-attacks and created a high volume of opportunities. But he warned that his forwards must become more ruthless in front of goal after converting only twice from 34 shots.
The Tottenham manager also urged his players not to lose sight of their recent position. Before the Coventry match two weeks ago, Spurs had been bottom of the table, and De Zerbi said that memory must remain central even as the team play with more freedom.
Williams-Barnett, introduced during the closing stages, was described by De Zerbi as a very young player with major talent.
Next, Sage and his Palace squad return to training on Monday, with Mateta’s impending ban adding another selection problem as they attempt to climb out of the relegation places.
