Pierre Sage given more time by Crystal Palace but remains under pressure

Sage stays in post for now but faces the sack if Palace lose to Spurs on Saturday after defeats to Newcastle and Brighton.

Pierre Sage has been given more time by Crystal Palace despite mounting pressure on his position. The Frenchman's future was in serious doubt following a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle and a 5-0 thrashing by Brighton, in which he was warned he could be dismissed if results did not improve quickly.

Chair Steve Parish has decided against acting immediately given the tight fixture schedule, with Palace facing Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday. However, Sage has been left in no doubt that the Spurs match is crucial to his future. Palace are 17th in the table and have conceded 19 goals in eight Premier League matches—the highest in the division.

The club's hierarchy are split on whether to sack Sage after only 12 games in charge, with Thomas Frank, Sean Dyche and Rob Edwards mentioned as potential replacements. There is some sympathy for Sage at boardroom level, with two leading players having sent him messages of support. There are also signs of improvement, including a 2-2 Europa League draw at Besiktas, though injury concerns remain over Ismaïla Sarr.