Crystal Palace dismiss Pierre Sage after 16 games in charge
Crystal Palace have sacked manager Pierre Sage in South London on 12 November 2026, with the club bottom of the Premier League after five months and 16 games in charge. Former Brentford and Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is in advanced talks to take over.
Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool was Palace's fourth successive loss in the Premier League and leaves the club with just two wins from their opening 10 league games. Palace also have the league's worst defensive record, having conceded 24 goals, and are 21st in the 36-team Europa League table with one win from four matches.
Three members of Sage's coaching staff — Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard — have also left the club. "The club thanks Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in South London, and wish them well for the future." "An update on the process of appointing a new manager will be provided in due course."
Sage is the second Premier League manager to be dismissed this season, following Michael Carrick's departure from Manchester United earlier in the week. The 47-year-old Frenchman was appointed on a three-year contract in June after Oliver Glasner departed at the end of last season.
Before arriving at Palace, Sage led Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and to a first French Cup triumph in their 120-year history. Glasner, now manager of Nottingham Forest, had guided Palace to a first FA Cup title and a Europa Conference League triumph.
Palace have been winless in the league since 11 October, a sequence that began with a 5-0 defeat by Brighton. After that game Sage said he felt "shame" from the defeat and admitted he did not know if he would be given time to turn Palace's fortunes around, and the manager also faced setbacks from injuries and the absence of forwards Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr amid a mixture of fitness and personal issues related to both players' desire to leave the club.
Three successive defeats followed the Brighton loss, with Palace hitting the bar and having a goal ruled out in their home loss to Liverpool at Selhurst Park. Sage won five of his 16 games in all competitions. Frank was sacked by Tottenham in February after just under eight months in charge, leaving Spurs 16th in the Premier League and five points above the relegation zone following an eight-match winless run in the league.
Palace's next Premier League match is at Coventry on 21 November, after the international break.
