Pierre Sage could pay the ultimate price if he becomes the latest victim of the Tottenham curse.
By an eerie coincidence, Spurs’ three wins this season have come against teams starting with the letter C – Charlton, Coventry and Chelsea.
They now face Crystal Palace on Halloween night and victory for the north Londoners could send the under-fire Sage to the managerial grave.
The Frenchman is fighting for his future after two heavy Premier League defeats by Brighton and Newcastle, with his Eagles side dangerously above the relegation zone.
His opposite number Roberto De Zerbi knows all about the pressure, having seen his future thrown into question after a difficult start to the season last month.
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But Spurs have regained their form and Italian Sage reckons so. He said: “I know Pierre Sage very well. He is a very good coach. I have known him for a long time, from Lyon, last season at Lens. He is a very good coach. I watched the game with Fulham, Besiktas and Newcastle. They are alive.”
The pressure eased a bit after Palace edged past Fulham to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals this week, but their Premier League form has been woeful with just two wins so far.
Their biggest problem is a leaky defense that has conceded 19 goals – the most in the league – and they are feeling the departure of defensive powerhouses Marc Guehi and Maxence Laxroix massively.
Chris Richards has been tasked with anchoring the defense on a temporary basis, Axel Disasi has failed to make the desired impact since arriving on loan from Chelsea and 18-year-old Dürust Ahanor is still finding his feet.
Dean Henderson’s return between the sticks is a welcome boost for the Eagles, but a questionable summer recruitment strategy has left Sage short in defence.
This is a club that won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League in just two years under Oliver Glasner, and his departure marked a new era for the Red and Blue Army.
But the plan hasn’t worked out for Sage so far and defeat against an in-form Spurs side could be the final nail in the 47-year-old’s coffin.
However, this game comes at the perfect time for De Zerbi, who has seen his side climb the table with back-to-back league wins.
De Zerbi was under pressure at the start of the season, with Spurs bottom of the table, but he has treated the fans to free-flowing attacking football this season and they are now reaping the rewards.
It was an encouraging performance against Manchester United and now finally the wins their fans have been craving are on the table.
De Zerbi spent £394m in the summer and his new signings are starting to flourish, with Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mateus Fernandes making an impact on the pitch.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has not always been a happy home for Spurs and the win over Coventry was their second win there in 2026 – but spirits are high in North London.
Right now, it’s as easy as A, B, C for Tottenham… Palace will be hoping to avoid D.
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