Under-pressure Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage vowed to never give up and be the first on the training pitch on Monday despite Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Tottenham .

Palace’s cause was not helped by a 13th-minute red card for Jean-Philippe Mateta, who caught Spurs captain Micky van de Ven on the Achilles with a studs-up tackle.

After referee Michael Oliver ’s yellow card was upgraded to a sending-off following a VAR review, it was largely one-way traffic and Tottenham claimed a third consecutive Premier League win with goals in each half by Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke.

It has left Palace in the relegation zone after two wins from their opening seven fixtures under new boss Sage.

Speculation over Sage’s future ramped up after a defeat at home to Newcastle last Sunday and will only increase following this third straight league loss, but the French coach struck a defiant post-match tone.

“Yes, (relegation), it’s a disaster for every club in the Premier League and especially that I have to speak about my…