Pierre Sage on the brink as Jean-Philippe Mateta's early red card hands Tottenham a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace
Pierre Sage's future at Crystal Palace is hanging by a thread after Jean-Philippe Mateta's 13th-minute red card paved the way for a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke both headed home as Roberto De Zerbi's side won three games in a row for the first time in 616 days, while Palace slipped into the Premier League's bottom three.
Mateta red card leaves Palace with 10 men
Palace made an encouraging start, with Mateta firing straight at Antonin Kinsky, but disaster struck in the 13th minute. As Micky van de Ven passed the ball back to his goalkeeper, Mateta's studs caught the Tottenham defender on the back of the heel.
According to the Guardian, referee Michael Oliver initially showed a yellow card, but the outcome was inevitable once VAR sent him to the monitor. Not for the first time this season, after Axel Disasi's red card against Ipswich last month, Palace were down to 10 men with most of the game still to play.
Gray and Van Hecke head Tottenham to a third straight win
Palace kept Tottenham at bay for a while, but they played a part in their own downfall again. Nobody picked up Gray at the back post from a deep Mohammed Kudus corner, and he headed in unopposed, having scored his first Spurs goal against Palace in a rare win under Thomas Frank last year.
De Zerbi still wanted more from his side given their numerical advantage, and he replaced Gray with Pedro Porro at the break. Van Hecke then headed in the second, and Spurs have now won three in a row for the first time in 616 days.
Sage's job in doubt as Palace slip into the bottom three
The result was Palace's third straight league defeat, and it leaves Sage's position in serious doubt. There was an expectation that he could be sacked if they lost this game, and the cameras caught chair Steve Parish looking less than impressed in the stand after Gray's opener.
Palace did not disgrace themselves, and they have been much better in the cup competitions under Sage. However, they now sit in the bottom three, and Parish alone will decide his fate, with Sean Dyche and Frank waiting in the wings.
Liverpool next for Palace before the international break
Sage's next test is a home game against Liverpool before the international break, and it could be his last.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have moved into the top half of the table, and De Zerbi, who used his programme notes to warn his players against complacency, will want them to keep their momentum going.
