Pierre Sage claimed Crystal Palace needed time to improve their defensive issues as the Eagles prepared to face Ipswich Town on Saturday at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles head into Saturday’s clash with the Tractor Boys looking for back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since December 2025.
Sage’s side have been quite open defensively this season, setting an unwanted club record of conceding two or more goals in nine consecutive league games. In the Premier League, only Chelsea (19) and Ipswich (22) are currently on longer clean sheet droughts.
Sage recognised that there were issues in the backline; however, time was necessary in order for the situation to improve.
“We are aware of our problems, especially our defensive problems. We have problems when we press, and we have problems when we’re in a low block.
“That’s why we need to work a lot. I changed the factor for the game on Tuesday. It was about the freshness of the players.
“I know that, to improve as a team and as a line, they have to play together again. That’s why we need time, but we are really aware of this problem. We saw the same games as you, and we did the same analysis.
“I will never lie about what you see. At the end of the game, during a press conference, I cannot say it’s good if it was bad.
“I have to be honest with that, and I have to be honest with the players. If not, they will not understand the meaning of the work.”
What Sage hopes will give the Palace backline extra confidence is the fact they secured their first clean sheet of the season during the 3-0 win over Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
“It’s always good because it was the first thing the players told me on the pitch when I congratulated them. That’s why they’re happy to win.
“They are happy to score three goals, but they are really happy not to concede. That’s a good message.
“The result is a help for confidence. That’s why we will try to reproduce that on Saturday.”
