Crystal Palace sack Pierre Sage with Thomas Frank in advanced talks

Pierre Sage was sacked as Crystal Palace manager on Sunday after his side’s 3-1 defeat by Liverpool, the club confirmed on 12 November 2026, and Thomas Frank is in advanced talks to succeed him.

Sage had been appointed in mid-June to replace Oliver Glasner and signed a three-year contract after leaving Lens, where he won the Coupe de France and qualified for the Champions League in his final season; he leaves after 16 games with Palace bottom of the Premier League.

Negotiations over compensation for the remainder of Sage’s three-year contract delayed his exit after the club made the decision on Sunday evening, and Palace confirmed that Sage’s backroom staff would also depart, saying: "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. An update on the process of appointing a new manager will be provided in due course."

Thomas Frank, out of work since his dismissal by Spurs in February, has emerged as the main candidate to replace Sage; he spoke to Palace in the summer and is described in the club’s context as keen for a new challenge after a successful spell at Brentford. Alternatives under consideration include former Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche and Vítor Pereira.

Sage has also been linked with a return to his former club Lens after they sacked Yannick Cahuzac on Tuesday; Lens owner and president Joseph Oughourlian has remained in close contact with Sage and is understood to have held talks about a return, a development that could affect Palace’s compensation liability.

Palace’s recent run of results was cited as the justification for the change: Sunday’s defeat was their fifth loss in an eight-match sequence that included a 5-0 home defeat by Brighton, with their only win in that period coming in the Carabao Cup at Fulham; they have lost four league fixtures in a row.

On the league table Palace have seven points from 10 games, their league victories having come against Fulham and Nottingham Forest, and they have conceded the most goals in the division, 24; in Europe they sit 21st in the 36-team Europa League table.

Palace have lost two senior centre-backs this year — Marc Guéhi to Manchester City in January and Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea in the summer — and brought in two loan players, Axel Disasi and the teenager Honest Ahanor, as replacements; the club did not sign Sage’s target Malick Fofana, and Sage is understood to have fallen out with the board over what he regarded as insufficient recruitment to replace Guéhi and Lacroix, while Palace chair Steve Parish was unhappy with Sage’s treatment of Jaydee Canvot after he "was dropped from the squad for September’s home defeat by Ipswich," and expressed displeasure after Adam Wharton was substituted in that match.

It is hoped that Frank will take charge before next Saturday’s trip to Coventry.