Spurs see off Crystal Palace after Mateta’s early red to pile pressure on Sage
Tottenham's victory over Crystal Palace has increased pressure on Palace manager Pierre Sage following a third consecutive league defeat. The match highlighted Tottenham's growing momentum under Roberto De Zerbi.
Why it matters
Managerial stability is a key narrative in professional football, and this result puts the Crystal Palace manager's job at risk.
Jan Paul van Hecke scored Tottenham’s second goal to earn their third Premier League win in a row. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters Jan Paul van Hecke scored Tottenham’s second goal to earn their third Premier League win in a row. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters Premier League Spurs see off Crystal Palace after Mateta’s early red to pile pressure on Sage Ed Aarons at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Sat 31 Oct 2026 19.42 GMT Last modified on Sat 31 Oct 2026 22.06 GMT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Fortune is not favouring Pierre Sage. Just when the Crystal Palace manager needed a positive result, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s early red card condemned his side to a third straight defeat in the league, leaving their manager’s position hanging by a thread.
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