Pierre Sage believes he retains the backing of his Crystal Palace players and the club hierarchy after Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle extended the Eagles' winless run to four matches.
Palace were beaten at Selhurst Park after Newcastle scored twice within 11 minutes of the restart. The result followed last weekend's 5-0 loss at Brighton and left Sage's side only two points above bottom club Sunderland after eight Premier League games.
Sage acknowledged that the pressure was a natural consequence of Palace's results, but said the focus within the club remained on finding solutions and improving the team's performances. He also revealed that he had spoken with the chairman during the week, although their discussion centred on the Newcastle match, the team's condition and the plan for the game rather than his position.
The Frenchman admitted he had expected a better start to his Palace tenure after leading Lens to the French Cup and a second-place Ligue 1 finish in his only season there. He felt Palace's performance against Newcastle was undermined by a poor 15-minute spell, while the defeat at Brighton had seen the team struggle for much longer.
Palace have conceded 19 goals in the league so far, the highest total in the division, and Sage identified ball retention as one possible route to improving their defensive record. He argued that controlling possession can limit the opponent's opportunities, while accepting that his team has not yet consistently managed games with the ball.
Sage described Newcastle's goals as a mental rather than tactical issue, saying Palace allowed their opponents too much freedom immediately after half-time. He now faces the task of improving the team's concentration, defensive organisation and control of possession as the club looks to halt its difficult opening run.
