Crystal Palace’s defensive problems have reached a new low, with the five goals conceded leaving them with 17 against in their opening seven Premier League matches. That is currently the worst defensive record in the division and has placed further scrutiny on a team struggling to start matches positively.
Captain Adam Wharton described the performance as unacceptable from the entire side, saying Palace could not have begun worse and were “nowhere near good enough” from the opening whistle to the final one. He also acknowledged that slow starts have become a recurring issue that the squad must address.
The afternoon proved particularly difficult for the defence, with 18-year-old centre-back Honest Ahanor taken off after 53 minutes. The Atalanta loanee was making only his second Premier League start, adding to the difficulties faced by a Palace backline that has conceded heavily this season.
There was at least some encouragement in the return of Jean-Philippe Mateta. The France striker made his first appearance of the campaign after suffering an injury during the opening weekend, when Palace lost 2-0 at Everton.
Sage, who arrived during the summer to replace Oliver Glasner, now needs a swift response from his players. Palace’s next opportunity comes in the Europa League on Thursday, when they travel to Turkey to face Besiktas, just days after their poor league showing. Another difficult result could increase the pressure surrounding the manager and his team.
