Crystal Palace Give Pierre Sage Two Games to Save His Job

Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage is in a battle to save his job, and BBC Sport reports that his next two games could settle it.

Palace were beaten 5-0 by Brighton on Sunday, the latest in a run of poor results. Sage has won only two of his first seven league games since taking over, and his side has let in 17 goals, more than any other team in the Premier League. If that continues, Palace would end the season with 92 goals against, the worst total since Sheffield United conceded 104 in 2024.

Some people close to the club believe Sage's time is already running out and that he will go once the right replacement is found. Palace play Besiktas in Europe and then host Newcastle. Two wins would calm things down, but two defeats could be the end.

Chairman Steve Parish rarely makes rushed decisions. He stayed calm when Oliver Glasner accused the board of "abandoning" the team after Marc Guehi was sold to Manchester City in January, and Glasner stayed until his contract ran out. Palace also know the manager market is tough. They missed out on their first choice, Andoni Iraola, when Glasner left.

Inside Selhurst Park, some feel for the 47-year-old Frenchman. Injuries have hit him hard, and Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr have been absent because of fitness and personal issues tied to their wish to leave. 

The team that won the FA Cup in 2025 and the Europa Conference League last season has also been pulled apart. Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Maxence Lacroix, Daniel Munoz and Guehi have all left since summer 2024. Sporting director Dougie Freedman also left in 2025, and his replacement, Matt Hobbs, is under pressure too.

Even so, the leaky defence is what worries the club's bosses most. Palace's recent success was built on tight defending under Glasner and Roy Hodgson, and giving up almost 2.5 goals a game is nowhere near that standard. 

Losing Guehi, Lacroix and Munoz in six months was a blow, and two of the three centre-backs against Brighton are very young, with Jaydee Canvot 20 and Honest Ahanor just 18. Still, many inside the club think Sage's approach is a big part of the problem.

Some fans also blame the summer signings. Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben Chilwell and Oscar Mingueza arrived on free transfers, while Axel Disasi and Ahanor came on loan. 

Palace are understood to have struggled with UEFA's money rules, which limited what they could do in the market and were one reason Munoz was sold to Nottingham Forest for £22m.