Crystal Palace have sacked manager Pierre Sage after just 16 matches in charge, bringing his brief spell at Selhurst Park to an abrupt end following a disappointing start to the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
The Frenchman was dismissed on Thursday, November 12, after the club’s hierarchy lost patience with a series of poor results that have left Palace struggling at the bottom of the league table.
Sage’s departure follows Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat against Liverpool, which extended Palace’s losing run in the Premier League to four consecutive matches and pushed them further into relegation trouble.
The result left the Eagles with just seven points from their opening 10 league fixtures, having recorded only two victories during that period. They also dropped to the bottom of the Premier League for the first time since December 2017.
Appointed in June 2026 to replace Oliver Glasner, Sage arrived at Selhurst Park with considerable expectations after an impressive spell in French football.
The 47-year-old had established himself as one of France’s promising managerial talents, guiding Lens to Coupe de France success and a second-place finish in Ligue 1 during the 2025/26 campaign, achievements that secured Champions League qualification.
His appointment was viewed as an opportunity for Palace to maintain their progress after Glasner’s successful spell, which included the club’s historic European triumph in the 2025/26 Conference League.
However, translating his previous success into Premier League results proved considerably more difficult.
Across his 16 matches in charge, Sage managed five victories in all competitions, but his team struggled particularly in the league, where defensive weaknesses repeatedly cost them important points.
Palace’s defensive record became one of the major concerns surrounding his management, with the club conceding 24 goals in their opening 10 Premier League matches, the highest total in the division at the time of his dismissal.
A humiliating 5-0 defeat against Brighton further intensified the pressure on the Frenchman, while subsequent losses exposed the team’s inability to recover from difficult situations.
His final match against Liverpool offered little relief, despite Palace showing occasional attacking promise. Goals from Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak secured the visitors a 3-1 victory, with Eddie Nketiah scoring a late consolation for the hosts.
Beyond the disappointing results, Sage’s tenure was also affected by concerns surrounding the club’s recruitment and the availability of important players.
The departures of key defensive figures, including Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix, created significant gaps in Palace’s backline, while injuries to several first-team players further complicated the manager’s attempts to establish a consistent starting team.
Sage had previously indicated that the squad needed additional reinforcements during the January transfer window, suggesting that improvements in certain positions would provide the team with more solutions.
Nevertheless, the club’s hierarchy ultimately decided that a managerial change was necessary rather than waiting for the winter transfer window.
Attention has now turned towards finding a replacement capable of rescuing Palace from their difficult league position, with former Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford manager Thomas Frank emerging as the leading candidate.
Frank, who was dismissed by Tottenham in February 2026, has reportedly held discussions with Palace previously and is understood to be interested in another opportunity in the Premier League.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira have also been mentioned as possible alternatives should the club pursue other options.
Sage’s departure also marks the end of the current coaching arrangement, with assistants Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard leaving alongside him.
Crystal Palace now face an important period as they attempt to appoint a new manager and prevent their disappointing campaign from developing into a serious relegation battle.
Their next Premier League fixture is scheduled to be an away meeting with Coventry City on November 21, giving the incoming manager an immediate opportunity to begin turning the situation around.
For Sage, the dismissal represents a disappointing conclusion to what initially appeared to be a major career opportunity in English football. Having arrived with an impressive reputation from France, his time at Selhurst Park has instead ended after only five months and 16 matches.
