Pierre Sage admits Crystal Palace are struggling to find right balance

Pierre Sage feels Crystal Palace are still seeking the right “balance” after they were only able to salvage a late 1-1 Europa League draw with Hoffenheim at Selhurst Park.

Daichi Kamada cancelled out Alexander Prass’ seventh minute opener in second-half stoppage time, after Adam Wharton was dismissed with a second yellow card in the 77th minute.

Sage also refused to address why Axel Disasi had been dropped from his squad, after confirming to TNT Sports that he made the decision on Thursday afternoon.

The French boss said: “What is difficult for us is to find the balance between the two things, because in our last games it was very difficult to attack, and in the end you don’t exist in the game when you don’t attack.

“We scored one goal at Fulham but we don’t create too many chances, and at Tottenham with the numerical inferiority it was too difficult to try to do things. That’s why, OK, we can defend better as a team.

“When we defend low, we struggle in set pieces. When we solve something, a new thing emerges, and we have to deal with that.”

Asked about the rationale behind leaving Disasi out, Sage said: “It’s an internal decision. I don’t want to comment.”

Pressed again, he replied: “It’s nice to try the same question, but I said I don’t want to comment. I’m sorry for that because you know I always reply, but I don’t want to comment on this.”

The Germans made it a nightmare start for the hosts, who did not react quickly enough to a counter-attack and allowed the visitors to work the ball to Tim Lemperle, who delivered a lovely cross to Prass.

His low shot initially looked straightforward enough for Dean Henderson, but the Palace captain could not contain his initial stop and the ball trickled with an agonising inevitability towards, then across, the line.

Wharton, who was initially booked two minutes before the hour, was sent off after a coming-together with Wouter Burger, a decision that seemed to bewilder the midfielder but was upheld.

Kamada, who had an early goal ruled out for offside, rescued the point in the first minute of stoppage time, and the goal stood after a VAR check.

The feeling inside Selhurst Park at the final whistle seemed more one of relief than celebration, and was not, perhaps, as conclusive a test of whether or not Sage is still the right man for the job as some might have hoped.

Hoffenheim boss Christian Ilzer said Palace looked “uncertain” in front of goal, and regretted that his side “tried to keep that result rather than trying to go for more” after Wharton’s dismissal.

He added: “In the end, we conceded that goal very late on, and that kind of ruined an almost perfect evening for us.”