Pierre Sage sacked by Crystal Palace after 16 games

Pierre Sage has been sacked as Crystal Palace manager after just five months and 16 games, with the club bottom of the Premier League. Former Brentford and Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is in advanced talks to replace him, BBC Sport reported on Thursday, November 12.

The 47-year-old Frenchman is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season. His exit came on the same day that Manchester United dismissed Michael Carrick.

Why Pierre Sage lost the Palace job

Results left the club little room for patience. Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool at Selhurst Park was Palace's fourth Premier League loss in a row.

The numbers behind the decision are stark:

• Just two wins from the opening 10 league games.
• The worst defensive record in the Premier League, with 24 goals conceded.
• No league win since October 11.
• 21st place in the 36-team Europa League table, with one win from four matches.

The losing run began with a 5-0 defeat by fierce rivals Brighton. Afterwards, Sage said he felt "shame" and admitted he did not know whether he would be given time to turn things around.

Some sympathy behind the scenes

BBC Sport reported that there was a degree of sympathy for the manager inside Selhurst Park after the Brighton loss. Injuries disrupted his plans, and forwards Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr were missing because of a mix of fitness problems and personal issues linked to both players wanting to leave.

Luck also turned against him. In the Liverpool defeat, Palace hit the bar and had a goal ruled out. Three more defeats followed the Brighton game, and the club acted as the international break began.

Three members of the coaching staff, Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard, have also left. In a statement, the club said: "The club thanks Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in South London, and wish them well for the future." It added that an update on appointing a new manager would be provided in due course.

A hard act to follow

Pierre Sage arrived in June on a three-year contract after Oliver Glasner left at the end of last season. He came with a strong record in France, having led Lens to second place in Ligue 1 and the first French Cup win in the club's 120-year history.

But he could not repeat Glasner's success. Glasner, now in charge of Nottingham Forest, led Palace to their first FA Cup title and a Europa Conference League triumph, which set expectations high in south London.

Thomas Frank in line to take over

Frank is the clear favourite. The Dane made his name at Brentford before moving to Tottenham, where he was sacked in February after just under eight months in charge. He left Spurs 16th in the table, five points above the relegation zone, after an eight-match winless league run.

Whoever takes over will have little time to settle. Palace's next Premier League match is away at Coventry on November 21, after the international break, and the Europa League campaign also needs rescuing.

A busy week for Premier League sackings

The departure of Pierre Sage caps a dramatic day in English football. Our report on the Michael Carrick at Manchester United explains the pressure at Old Trafford, and our story on Mauricio Pochettino and Manchester United looks at who could replace him. For a recent Premier League match report, see Newcastle against Everton.

For fans in Phuket and across Thailand, Palace's trip to Coventry should give the first look at a new manager in the dugout, provided the club completes its appointment before the international break ends.

Image: Aerial view of Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace, where Pierre Sage's spell ended after 16 games. Photo by Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.