Pierre Sage is facing mounting pressure at Crystal Palace after the defeat at Tottenham left the club in the Premier League's bottom three. The result came shortly after Palace had secured some relief with a Carabao Cup victory at Fulham, but they were unable to build on that win in north London.
Palace made a positive start before Jean-Philippe Mateta's wild tackle undermined their early momentum. Their defensive problems then contributed to Tottenham's opening goal, with poor marking at a Mohamed Kudus corner allowing Archie Gray to score 12 minutes later.
Sage's side continued to compete and showed determination to remain in the contest. The travelling Palace supporters even chanted the manager's name during the second half, suggesting that the players and fans have not simply turned against the Frenchman.
Tottenham eventually took control, although Dean Henderson produced several fine late saves to keep Palace in the fight. The performance did not look like one from a group that had given up on its head coach, but Palace's results have been poor and their position in the relegation places leaves Sage under serious scrutiny.
The Frenchman took over from Oliver Glasner during the summer, following a difficult act. Glasner had guided Palace to the FA Cup and Uefa Conference League, leaving Sage with a demanding task as he attempts to change the club's fortunes.
