Crystal Palace dismiss manager Pierre Sage as club sits bottom of Premier League
Crystal Palace have terminated Pierre Sage's contract after five months in charge, with the team winless in the league and occupying the last place.
Crystal Palace confirmed on Thursday that manager Pierre Sage has left his role, ending a five-month tenure that began with a three-year contract in June. The French coach departed after the club fell to the bottom of the Premier League, having secured only two wins from eight league matches.
The decision followed a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool just before the international break, which was described by the club as the final trigger for the dismissal. In the same period Palace suffered a 5-0 loss to Brighton, a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle, a 3-2 Europa League loss to Lyon, and a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham that also saw striker Jean-Philippe Mateta sent off.
In a statement, the club thanked Sage and his staff – coaching team members Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard – for their efforts and said an update on the search for a new manager would be provided in due course.
Sage had succeeded Oliver Glasner, who left after guiding Palace to FA Cup and Conference League victories. Prior to joining Palace, Sage achieved a second-place finish in Ligue 1 with Lens and won the Coupe de France, and he previously managed Lyon, steering them away from relegation and into European competition.