Crystal Palace confirm Pierre Sage’s departure

Crystal Palace announced on November 12 that Pierre Sage had left his role as manager, less than five months after taking charge. The club also said three members of his backroom staff, Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard, had departed. Palace has not named a successor and said it would provide an update on the appointment process in due course.

Sage’s departure follows a difficult start to the Premier League season. Palace had lost seven of their opening 10 matches, drawing two and winning one, and were bottom of the table, according to the report. A 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool the previous weekend was the team’s fourth consecutive league loss. Palace had conceded 24 goals, the highest total in the division at that point.

Reports say Thomas Frank is in advanced talks to become Palace’s next manager. The club has not confirmed that he is a candidate or that an agreement has been reached. Palace is reported to hope to complete an appointment before its next league match, away to Coventry City on November 21; that timetable has not been confirmed by the club.

Sage was appointed after Oliver Glasner, who had led Palace to the Conference League title the previous...