Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has underlined Dwight McNeil’s importance ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham, with the winger having featured in each of the club’s last five matches in all competitions.
Since arriving from Everton in the summer, McNeil has been used in several roles and impressed Sage with his ability to adjust quickly during matches. He operated as a number 10, centre-forward and midfielder during the midweek victory over Fulham, while also coming close to opening his Palace goalscoring account.
Sage believes that flexibility can make a decisive difference when matches change shape. He also pointed to the improvement McNeil has made since the beginning of the campaign, crediting the player’s ambition and willingness to keep developing.
Palace will be seeking a third consecutive victory at Tottenham’s home when they face Roberto De Zerbi’s side at 17:30 GMT on Saturday. Sage is set to meet De Zerbi in the Premier League for the first time, although they have previously faced each other in France’s Ligue 1 when De Zerbi was in charge of Marseille.
The Palace boss praised De Zerbi’s commitment to a possession-based approach and said Tottenham are beginning to reflect the Italian’s footballing ideas on the pitch. Sage also confirmed that Ismaïla Sarr will miss the trip, with the forward expected to return after the international break.
