Crystal Palace are not planning an immediate change in the dugout despite their heavy 5-0 defeat to Brighton. According to The Athletic, the club intends to give Pierre Sage time to improve the team’s fortunes rather than make a short-term managerial change.
Sage is therefore expected to take charge for Thursday’s Europa League trip to Besiktas and Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle. Palace have collected seven points from their opening seven league matches and sit 14th in the table, but the club does not yet regard the situation as beyond repair.
Defensive problems remain a major concern for the Eagles. Palace have conceded 17 goals in their first seven league fixtures, and Sage is due to meet with the sporting department to assess the issues affecting the back line.
The defensive situation has been made more difficult by injuries to Chadi Riad and Takehiro Tomiyasu, while Axel Disasi is suspended. Sage took over in June following Oliver Glasner’s departure and admitted after the Brighton loss that he was unsure whether he could turn the situation around.
The current support from the club is dependent on results improving. President Steve Parish is prepared to step in if progress is not seen, while another disappointing performance in Turkey could intensify the board’s deliberations. For now, Palace are choosing continuity, but the matches against Besiktas and Newcastle could be decisive for Sage’s future.
