Pierre Sage praised Walter Benítez after the goalkeeper’s exceptional performance helped Crystal Palace overturn an early deficit against Nottingham Forest and claim their first home Premier League victory of the season.
Palace conceded early after the international break, with Forest controlling sizeable periods of the opening half and threatening to extend their advantage. Benítez kept the Eagles in contention with a series of important saves, giving his side the chance to recover before the interval.
Daichi Kamada and Jefferson Lerma then turned the match around before half-time, sending Palace into the break 2-1 ahead. Yéremy Pino added a third shortly after the restart to complete the scoring and secure the result.
Sage highlighted the significance of Benítez’s contribution, particularly as the goalkeeper has been operating as the team’s number two. He said the saves preserved Palace’s belief at a crucial stage, while also expressing his satisfaction with the strength of the club’s goalkeeping options.
The Palace head coach offered a measured assessment of the overall display. He felt the team were less consistent than in their performance at Leeds, but pointed to the quality of the moves that produced the equaliser and third goal. Sage also praised the players’ commitment, while insisting that Palace must become more stable and efficient during a demanding run of fixtures.
