Sage vows 'I will never give up' as Crystal Palace slide into relegation zone

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage pledged to “give his life” for the club after a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday dropped the Eagles into the Premier League relegation zone, with the French coach’s position under mounting scrutiny following a third consecutive league loss.

Jean-Philippe Mateta was dismissed in the 13th minute after a studs-up challenge caught Spurs captain Micky van de Ven on the Achilles. Referee Michael Oliver initially showed a yellow card, but a VAR review upgraded the decision to a red, and Palace were effectively beaten from that point. Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke scored in either half as Tottenham secured a third straight Premier League victory.

The result leaves Palace with two wins from seven fixtures under Sage, who was appointed as the club’s new head coach this season. Speculation over his future had already intensified following a home defeat to Newcastle the previous Sunday, and Saturday’s loss will do little to ease the pressure.

Sage, however, was unapologetic in his post-match message. “You know I’m not comfortable with the situation in the table, but it’s a consequence of what we did bad on the pitch,” he said. “My only way to change a thing is to go on the pitch. That is why I talk to the players and I want to be the first on the pitch on Monday. They can trust in me. I will never give up.”

He added: “I will do the best session I can do on Monday because now I have the rage to train more because the game I saw was not in line with my conviction.” Asked directly for a message to Palace supporters, Sage was equally resolute: “They can trust in me because I will give my life. I am the kind of person who never gives up.”

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi was broadly satisfied with his side’s display but called for greater clinical edge after his team generated 34 shots and converted only two. “I’m very happy for the performance, because we showed to be a mature team with clear ideas,” De Zerbi said. “If we want to follow perfection, we have to be more nasty. That is an individual thing, because if I’m number nine, number 10, I want to score.”

De Zerbi also urged his players to retain perspective, reminding them that Spurs sat bottom of the table as recently as two weeks ago. “We can’t forget where we have been two weeks ago, before the Coventry game. I think this is the crucial part, the crucial aspect for this team.”