Crystal Palace sack manager Sage after just five months

Pierre Sage had impressed in France with Lens and Lyon before an ill-fated stint as manager of Premier League club Crystal Palace (Glyn KIRK)Crystal Palace have sacked French manager Pierre Sage after just five months in charge, with the club bottom of the Premier League.Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool was Palace's fourth in succession in a league campaign in which they have just won two of their opening 10 matches. They also have the worst defensive record in the league, conceding 24 goals so far this season.Palace are 21st in the 36-team Europa League table, with one win from their four matches."Crystal Palace Football Club can confirm that Pierre Sage has left his role as manager," said a club statement issued Thursday.The statement added three members of Sage's coaching staff -- Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard -- had also left Selhurst Park.Palace added: "The club thanks Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in South London, and wish them well for the future."An update on the process of appointing a new manager will be provided in due course."Former Brentford and Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been tipped to replace Sage in a move that would see the Dane take charge of his third London club.Former Lens and Lyon boss Sage, 47, had the unenviable task of replacing Oliver Glasner -- Palace's most successful manager after guiding the Eagles to their first major trophies in the 2025 FA Cup and the UEFA Conference League last season.The Austrian left at the end of last season, having decided against renewing his contract following a row over Palace's transfer policy, before joining Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.Sage oversaw Lens's first French Cup triumph last season, while the northern side also finished runners-up behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.But it was a very different story at Palace, where his time in charge included a 5-0 thrashing by rivals Brighton in the Premier League.jdg/nf