Pierre Sage believes Crystal Palace’s difficult opening to the Premier League season can ultimately help him develop as a coach, with the team preparing to face Tottenham after a much-needed midweek victory.
Palace are 17th in the table with seven points and have suffered consecutive league defeats without scoring, losing 5-0 to Brighton and 2-0 to Newcastle United. Their 1-0 win over Fulham in the EFL Cup, however, secured a place in the quarter-finals and offered Sage’s side a potential lift before the trip to Spurs.
Sage described the Tottenham fixture as being similar to a final after the Fulham result and acknowledged the importance of making the right decisions during a challenging period. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said the pressure had forced him to reconsider his ideas and adapt his approach.
The Palace boss also stressed that results remain the priority, saying the team must change in order to reach its potential. Palace have conceded 19 Premier League goals this season, the highest total in the division and their most at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1980-81.
Tottenham have won their last two league matches against Coventry City and Chelsea after failing to win their opening six. Palace have nevertheless won three of their last four Premier League meetings with Spurs, while Tottenham have lost their previous two home league games against Palace after previously winning nine in succession.
Jorgen Strand Larsen has scored three times in four Premier League appearances against Tottenham, with each goal either equalising or putting his team ahead. Spurs are also expected to have James Maddison available, while their recent improvement has coincided with the return of Dejan Kulusevski following a 526-day absence caused by a knee injury suffered against Palace in the 2024-25 season.
