Dean Henderson has offered his backing to Pierre Sage ahead of Crystal Palace’s Europa League clash with Hoffenheim on Thursday evening, insisting the squad remains united despite the club’s difficult position in the Premier League.
Palace face the Bundesliga side at 17:45 GMT in an important European fixture. Henderson is also awaiting his first Europa League appearance of the season after returning from an ankle injury.
The goalkeeper said the players retain strong belief in one another and are confident they can recover from their current situation. Palace are in the Premier League relegation zone, but Henderson pointed to how quickly league positions can change and said the group expects to improve its fortunes sooner rather than later.
Henderson described Sage as a brilliant manager whose approach offers an exciting style of football. He believes Palace can be in a strong position if they improve their defensive work, adding that he is fully behind the head coach.
The Palace captain also acknowledged that a new coaching team may require time to establish its methods. He said he was encouraged by the way Sage wants the team to play, while stressing that the responsibility rests with the players to deliver that approach and continue improving throughout the season.
