Pierre Sage blames 15-minute lapse for Palace defeat by Newcastle
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage blamed a 15-minute loss of concentration after half-time for their 2-0 Premier League defeat by Newcastle at Selhurst Park on 25 October. Will Osula scored in the 47th minute and Harvey Barnes added the second in the 58th. Sage insisted he remained the right man to lead Palace.
Sage described the problem as mental rather than tactical, saying Palace had allowed Newcastle to take the initiative without applying pressure. He said his preferred way to defend was to keep the ball, but only the three promoted sides have had less possession than Palace.
Palace were 17th after consecutive league defeats, following a 5-0 loss to Brighton, and had conceded a league-high 19 goals in eight games. Sage said he remained in regular contact with chairman Steve Parish but that his future had never been raised, with the club focused on finding solutions.
- Crystal Palace drew 2-2 at Besiktas in the Europa League on 22 October 2026, with Yéremy Pino scoring in the 51st minute and Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 55th.
- Before joining Crystal Palace, Pierre Sage led Lens to their first Coupe de France title and second place in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain in 2025/26.
