Pierre Sage remains under enormous pressure to inspire victory against Newcastle United at the weekend after dropping Europa League points in Istanbul having brushed close to a morale-boosting win.

His Crystal Palace team had staged a comeback to lead at Besiktas Stadium before Junior Olaitan’s late equaliser. With Sage’s position as head coach understood to be uncertain after just four months in charge, he needs a win on Sunday. 

Wilfred Ndidi, the former Leicester City midfielder, opened the scoring for Besiktas in first-half injury time with his team’s first shot on target. A Jean-Philippe Mateta goal had earlier been ruled out for offside.

But Palace staged a second-half fightback and were ahead through Yéremy Pino, with VAR ruling that Anan Khalaili was onside when he crossed for the Spaniard. Mateta then found the net when he ran on to a poor back-pass. 

But as Palace tired, Besiktas drew level through Olaitan’s spectacular long-ranger after he danced around two challenges. The Turkish side also had Umit Akdag dismissed for a wild lunge at Jorgen Strand Larsen, but Palace could not find a winner. 

Defeat against out-of-form Newcastle will see Sage battling to save his job after being appointed in July. There is a raft of managers waiting in the wings for their next opportunity with clubs potentially making changes around the next international break. 

Palace appointed Sage in June after working from a shortlist that included ex-Brentford and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, who is working on Uefa’s Technical Observer Group. Vítor Pereira is also out of work after saving Nottingham Forest from relegation.

But other managers are also expected to come into the reckoning should Palace look to change their head coach early in the season. 

Sage, who signed a three-year deal in the summer, issued an apology to fans and said he felt “shame” after last weekend’s defeat to rivals Brighton. He was appointed on the back of a second-placed finish in Ligue 1 with Lens, which saw him crowned the French top flight’s manager of the year.