Sage's Palace future in doubt after 5-0 defeat by Brighton
Pierre Sage has won two of his first seven Premier League games in charge of Crystal Palace. A sense within the club is that his system has contributed to the team's defensive problems.
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Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage faces a pivotal week after a 5-0 defeat by Brighton left his side with the worst defensive record in the Premier League and his future in doubt.
The 47-year-old Frenchman, who succeeded Oliver Glasner, has won only two of his first seven league games in charge since joining Palace on a three-year contract in June. The 17 goals his side have conceded in that time is more than any other club in the division.
Palace are shipping close to 2.5 goals a match, a rate that would take them to 92 for the season. No club has conceded more since Sheffield United let in 104 while finishing bottom in 2024.
Some figures close to the club believe Sage will be replaced once the right candidate becomes available, according to BBC Sport. Dismissal would end a short tenure only months after his appointment.
Palace failed to land their first-choice target Andoni Iraola after Glasner left and are aware of the difficulties in the managerial market.
Chairman and co-owner Steve Parish would face a decision on Sage's future if poor results continued against Besiktas in the Europa League and Newcastle at home in the Premier League.
Parish has a record of restraint. He took no action when Glasner publicly criticised the board for "abandoning" the team after the club agreed to sell Marc Guehi to Manchester City in January.
Glasner served out his contract and added the Europa Conference League title to the FA Cup the club had won the season before.
Some behind the scenes at Selhurst Park are sympathetic to Sage and point to a difficult start. Injuries have hit the squad, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr have been unavailable owing to a mixture of fitness and personal issues linked to both players' wish to leave.
Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Maxence Lacroix, Daniel Munoz and Guehi have all left Palace since the summer of 2024, breaking up the group that won the club's first major trophies in the FA Cup in 2025 and the Europa Conference League last season.
Sporting director Dougie Freedman also departed in 2025. He was regarded as highly influential at the club and his exit has been felt acutely.
His replacement Matt Hobbs is among those under scrutiny alongside Sage.
The loss of Guehi, Lacroix and Munoz within six months has been a significant blow to the back line. Of the three centre-backs who started the defeat by Brighton, Jaydee Canvot is 20 and Honest Ahanor is 18.
Some supporters feel the club's defensive recruitment this summer has not helped. Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben Chilwell and Oscar Mingueza arrived on free transfers, while Axel Disasi and Ahanor joined on loan.
Palace are understood to have encountered major difficulty in meeting Uefa's financial rules, which limited their room in the transfer market. Compliance was among the reasons the club sold Munoz to Nottingham Forest for £22m.
Even so, there is a clear sense inside the club that Sage's system and approach have contributed significantly to the defensive problems.
Glasner and Roy Hodgson both fielded well-organised teams built on defensive stability, giving the attacking players a solid base. The present record is so far removed from that standard that it has alarmed senior figures at the club.
Positive results against Besiktas and Newcastle would allow Sage to start building momentum. Defeats in both could leave Palace's hierarchy deciding whether to act.
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