Pierre Sage said Crystal Palace had no grounds to dispute Jean-Philippe Mateta’s red card during the 2-0 defeat by Tottenham. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, the Palace manager said the challenge involved contact with an area where the player could not be touched and described the referee’s decision as normal.
Sage explained that Palace had set up to remain compact and allow Tottenham to have possession. However, the plan was undermined when Spurs took the lead from a set-piece. At half-time, Palace’s immediate objective was to stay in the contest until the 75th minute before making changes.
The manager said the substitutions were intended to help Palace alter the game late on. He acknowledged that the outcome was not what the team had planned and accepted responsibility for finding solutions to the current problems.
Sage also said he would be with the team on Monday and would push for a response against Liverpool. He identified Palace’s performances with the ball as a particular area requiring improvement, saying the side can do better collectively.
Tottenham’s victory also highlighted a defensive issue for Palace. Both of the home side’s goals were headed, while Palace have now conceded six headed goals in the Premier League this season. That is twice the number recorded by any other side, with Chelsea and Aston Villa next on three.
