Premier League manager teases that he could be sacked as Newcastle United watch on
Newcastle United travel to Crystal Palace with both clubs looking to bounce back from disappointing results.
Crystal Palace head coach Pierre Sage has admitted he is unsure whether he will be in the dugout for his side’s next Premier League match against Newcastle United on Sunday.
Palace head into the match at Selhurst Park (2pm kick-off) on the back of a humiliating 5-0 defeat to rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
It leaves the Eagles 14th in the table and a point behind Newcastle heading into the weekend’s fixtures. The Magpies will be hoping to bounce back from a difficult pair of results since returning from the international break.
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Matthias Jaissle suffered his first defeat at St James’ Park on Saturday evening as Aston Villa claimed a 1-0 win. That defeat followed a 4-1 loss at Coventry City last week.
With both sides looking for a reaction, Jaissle has admitted he is not concerned by his side’s recent performances and is confident that improvement will come.
“It doesn't concern me, but it’s something we need to improve, and that's linked to the decision-making,” the German said.
“There were occasions, even in barbed situations, where we could shoot also - that's also another part - and hit the target. I think you all saw that match, and you all saw these occasions.”
But the message was not quite so confident from his Palace counterpart, Sage.
When asked if he expects to be in charge for the Newcastle match on Sunday, the Palace boss said: "I don’t know.”
He then added: "We are not at the level we expected, and I’m really sorry for that. I just want to apologise to the fans because it’s not normal to show this face.
"I cannot blame anybody because we didn’t do the job in a good way. I’m responsible for this team, and when the team play as today, it’s not normal. It’s my fault. I understand them.
"The first work to do is on me. I’m responsible for what’s happened on the pitch, and I have a lot of work to do because I have to change this kind of thing.
"It’s maybe in the preparation, in the way we give them the motivation to start the game just before in the locker room in the warm-up.
"We have to analyse that because it’s not normal. And today it was really at the highest level we cannot expect, and that’s the moment to change the thing."
Both Jaissle and Sage were appointed over the summer to replace managers who had previously brought success to their respective clubs. Jaissle is currently the shortest-serving Premier League manager, having been officially appointed in August while Sage arrived at Selhurst Park at the start of the summer.
There have been no managerial sackings since the Premier League season started, though Sage is currently the second favourite in the sack race behind Manchester United’s Michael Carrick. Jaissle is sixth behind Fulham’s Alvaro Arbeloa, Tottenham Hotspur’s Roberto De Zerbi and Nottingham Forest’s Oliver Glasner, whom Sage replaced at Palace over the summer.
All in all, it’s shaping up to be another intriguing weekend of Premier League football.