Sage's Selhurst Park Deawn Ends in Defeat as City Hit Four
Pierre Sage's first match in charge of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park ended in a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City, with Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki each scoring twice (Manchester City).
The match, played on 28 August 2026, was the second defeat in two Premier League fixtures for Palace, who had already lost to Everton on the opening weekend of the 2026/27 season (Sky Sports).
Haaland headed City in front and later added a second, while Cherki — a summer arrival from Lyon whose technical flair has added another dimension to Pep Guardiola's attacking options — chipped in with a brace of his own (Manchester City). A brace, in football terms, means two goals in one match. For Palace, the scoreline was a harsh greeting to top-flight life under their new head coach.
Sage, appointed to lead the Eagles after a spell in Swiss football with Young Boys, was blunt in his assessment afterward. Speaking to BBC Sport, he admitted that his players lost hope once City moved 3-1 ahead (BBC Sport). That detail will sting more than the scoreline itself. A four-goal margin against the defending champions is survivable; a dressing room that stops believing at 3-1 down is a different kind of problem.
Selhurst Park, Palace's compact home ground in south London, is renowned for its atmosphere — a wall of noise from the Holmesdale Road Stand that has rattled bigger teams than most. On this night, the crowd had little to lift them. The home side managed a consolation goal, but City's quality told across the ninety minutes.
For Sage, the immediate task is straightforward to state and harder to execute. Two games, zero points, and a squad that needs to find belief quickly. The Premier League does not wait. September's fixtures will come fast, and Palace's supporters — passionate, knowledgeable, and patient up to a point — will want to see signs that the new manager's ideas are taking hold.
City, meanwhile, continue to look every inch the side that sets the standard. Haaland remains the most ruthless finisher in the division, and Cherki's integration suggests Guardiola has added another weapon to an already formidable arsenal.
For fans of Palace, this is not a crisis — not yet, not after two games. But Sage's own admission about lost hope at 3-1 is the detail that lingers. Tactics can be coached. Confidence is harder to restore.
