Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage came out swinging after his side’s brutal 5-0 thrashing by Brighton, admitting he felt nothing but “shame” at their performance. This wasn’t just any loss, either: it was the Eagles’ worst defeat to their rivals since way back in January 1956. Talk about a gut punch. Sage didn’t mince words, even confessing he wasn’t sure if he’d even be given the time to turn things around.
Three Goals in Nine Minutes? That’s On The Coach.
Can you even imagine? Three goals conceded in the first ten minutes of a massive rivalry game. It’s almost unbelievable. Sage definitely felt it, taking full responsibility for the collapse. “It’s my fault because I am the coach, I gave the motivation. I prepare the situations. We played so bad it’s my fault,” he said. He’s only been in the manager’s seat since the summer, arriving after a successful stint guiding Lens to the French Cup and second in Ligue 1 last season. But still, the pressure is real when you’re conceding that quickly. “It’s completely not normal to concede three goals in this kind of game after nine minutes,” he explained. He knows he’s got “a lot of work to do because I have to change this kind of thing.” You gotta respect him for taking the blame, but man, that’s a tough spot to be in.
From History-Makers To Bottom Half Scramble
This is a wild reversal of fortunes for Palace. Just last season, under their previous manager Oliver Glasner, the club was flying high, bagging the FA Cup for the first time in 2025 and then winning the Conference League in May. That’s the most successful period in their history, and now they’re staring at this kind of performance. Sage has had a rough introduction to Selhurst Park, for sure. Crystal Palace currently sits 14th in the Premier League, with only two wins from seven games. Even worse, their 17 goals conceded is the most in the entire top flight. When asked about his emotions after the game, Sage kept it simple: “Only one feeling , shame. When you play this kind of game you have to show another face. It was our worst face.” He ended by apologizing directly to the fans, saying, “We were not at the level we expected, and I’m really sorry for that.” His record so far stands at four wins, one draw, and five losses in 10 games.
What’s next for Sage and Crystal Palace? They’ve got a quick turnaround, heading to Turkey on Thursday for a Europa League match against Besiktas. Then it’s back to Premier League action this Sunday at home, where they’ll face Newcastle. These next two games are absolutely massive for showing whether Sage can pull his team out of this early season slump and prove he deserves more time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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