Pierre Sage has insisted that outside criticism will not distract him from his work at Crystal Palace, but pressure on the manager is growing after a difficult run of results.
Speaking after the latest round of matches, Sage said his priority was to get the players competing and improving. Decisions over his position, he added, belonged to the chairman and the owners, while the noise surrounding the team was something he regarded as little more than a distraction.
Palace have collected just seven points from their first eight Premier League matches of the post-Glasner era. Their campaign has included a win at Fulham and a home victory over Nottingham Forest, alongside defeats by Everton, Manchester City, Ipswich, Brighton and Newcastle. They also drew 0-0 at Leeds.
The defensive record is a major concern, with Palace having conceded 19 goals in eight league games — the worst record in the division according to the supplied report. Their recent schedule has also included a defeat by Sage's former club Lyon in the Europa League and a 2-2 draw away to Besiktas. Fans reacted angrily to the Newcastle defeat, adding to the uncertainty around the manager's future.
French football expert Julien Laurens believes Sage needs to develop a harder edge. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Laurens described him as a very likeable manager who can be "a little bit too nice at times". He pointed to Palace's victory at Fulham, saying Sage appeared to feel sympathy for the beaten hosts despite it being the club's first win of the season.
Palace are scheduled to visit improving Tottenham next Saturday before hosting Liverpool on 8 November. Their first match after the international break is due to come against fellow strugglers Coventry City on 21 November, raising the question of whether Sage will still be in charge by then.
