Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage is facing questions about his position, but Chris Sutton believes the criticism should be viewed in context ahead of the visit of Newcastle.
Palace sit 14th in the Premier League, one place higher than where they finished last season under Oliver Glasner. Their recent setback was a heavy defeat by Brighton, making the result particularly difficult given the rivalry between the clubs, but Sutton argued that the team’s situation is not comparable to a side taking only one point from its opening seven matches.
The Eagles have conceded too freely in recent weeks, although Sutton pointed to the scale of the changes at Selhurst Park as an important factor. Several key players have departed, particularly in defence, while some of those who remain are reportedly unhappy. That has left Sage with significant issues to manage.
Palace also played in Turkey on Thursday night, a factor that could affect their preparation and energy levels. Even so, Sutton expects them to be capable of earning a result against Newcastle.
There have been major changes at Newcastle as well, but Sutton’s main concern is the openness of Matthias Jaissle’s team. He felt Aston Villa were able to create opportunities last week by continuing to build their attacks patiently, despite Villa’s organised approach.
Sutton believes Palace could expose similar weaknesses if Newcastle fail to execute their pressing effectively. His assessment is that the match is unlikely to be dominated by the two defences, giving the Eagles encouragement as they look to respond to the Brighton loss.
