Sage dismissed as Palace hit rock bottom
The Eagles decided to act following a dismal run that culminated in a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. Eddie Nketiah’s injury-time penalty proved to be nothing more than a consolation, ultimately serving as the final straw for chairman Steve Parish.
Palace currently sit bottom of the Premier League having managed just two top-flight victories all season. The South London outfit are now progressing in negotiations with Thomas Frank, as reported by the Standard, with the former Tottenham and Brentford manager tipped to take the reins.
Palace confirm coaching staff clear-out
Releasing a statement to confirm the managerial change, the club announced that a complete overhaul of the backroom staff had also taken place.
"Crystal Palace Football Club can confirm that Pierre Sage has left his role as Manager," the official communication read. "Three members of Pierre’s coaching staff - Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard - have also left the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in South London, and wish them well for the future."
The club added: "An update on the process of appointing a new Manager will be provided in due course."
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A daunting legacy and a dismal run
Sage arrived from Lens during the summer facing the monumental task of succeeding Oliver Glasner. The former boss had etched his name into Palace history, delivering the FA Cup, Community Shield, and Conference League in two years to a club that had never previously tasted major silverware.
Filling those shoes proved too difficult for the Frenchman. Palace have suffered four consecutive league defeats, a sequence that includes a 5-0 hammering by high-flying Brighton and a 2-0 loss to Tottenham, where Jean-Philippe Mateta received a first-half red card. Their solitary win in their last eight matches across all competitions came against fellow strugglers Fulham in the Carabao Cup.
Sage's departure marks a chaotic day in the English top flight. He was dismissed barely an hour after Manchester United sacked Michael Carrick, making them the first two Premier League casualties of the campaign.
Frank prepares for potential return
If appointed, Frank will face a massive challenge to drag a struggling Palace side away from the foot of the table. The coach is looking for his first route back into management since a disastrous eight-month spell at Tottenham ended in February, following a run of just two wins in 17 games.
The immediate priority for the incoming boss will be arresting a catastrophic slide in momentum and restoring confidence to a squad failing to replicate their previous trophy-winning heights.