Crystal Palace have decided to give Pierre Sage more time, although the manager is under increasing pressure after Sunday’s humiliating 5-0 defeat at Brighton. Palace conceded three goals in the opening 10 minutes and matched the club’s heaviest-ever loss against their local rivals, a record dating back 70 years.

The result also left Palace with the Premier League’s worst defensive record, having conceded 17 goals in seven matches. Chairman Steve Parish is understood to have had reservations about Sage since appointing him to replace Oliver Glasner in the summer and is believed to have considered making a change after the Brighton defeat.

Sage is expected to remain in charge for Thursday’s Europa League visit to Besiktas and Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle. However, his position is now being closely assessed. Should Palace dismiss him, Kieran McKenna and Thomas Frank are among the possible candidates, with Parish having previously approached McKenna when he was at Ipswich.

Disagreements between Sage and Parish stretch back to the summer transfer window. Palace did not secure Sage’s preferred central defensive targets after Maxence Lacroix’s departure, instead bringing in Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea and the teenage defender Honest Ahanor from Atalanta. The club also missed out on Malick Fofana to Sunderland on deadline day, while Darío Osorio arrived on an initial loan and has made only a handful of appearances.

Parish was also unhappy with Sage’s handling of Jaydee Canvot, who was left out of the squad for the home defeat by Ipswich. The chairman is understood to have been angered further when Adam Wharton was substituted in that match after Disasi was sent off. Some figures within the club have been advocating Sage’s dismissal, but Parish recognises the impact of Disasi’s three-match suspension alongside injuries to Chadi Riad and Takehiro Tomiyasu and would prefer to see whether the manager can turn the situation around.

Chris Richards has apologised to Palace supporters after leaving the pitch without acknowledging them following the Brighton defeat. The United States defender said on Instagram that he had been emotional and embarrassed by the result, accepting that the team must take responsibility, improve and demonstrate that progress on the pitch.