Crystal Palace

Thomas Frank and Sean Dyche are widely viewed as potential candidates should Pierre Sage be sacked by Crystal Palace, but Toulouse manager Jens Berthel Askou is also rumoured to be on their shortlist too.

The Danish manager, who joined the French club from Motherwell in the summer, has his side sitting 12th in Ligue 1 after 10 games.

"It's the wrong time for him to go in," said Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "In terms of the way he wants to play and how expansive he is, I don't think it's the right move for him or for Palace when you are a quarter of a way through the season.

"If you brought him in over the summer and he has time to build then it would work, but you have the likes of Sean Dyche who is ready to go in and organise.

"I wouldn't want to see Berthel Askou go in and rip up the way he works just to keep Palace in the Premier League."

Listen to the full discussion on Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton believes Crystal Palace "have to" make a managerial change during the international break and bring in a more "pragmatic" manager to re-organise the team.

Current boss Pierre Sage is under increasing pressure with Palace sitting bottom of the Premier League table having won just two of their 10 league matches this season.

"It's often the best time to take a job when a club is at rock bottom," said Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "Palace only conceded 51 goals last season yet have conceded 24 already this season so that is alarming.

"Pierre Sage could quite rightly argue that the players they lost haven't been replaced in terms of like-for-like quality, but their biggest issue is that they are leaking goals.

"They have to make the change and get in someone who is a bit more pragmatic. Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank are regarded as real organisers and pragmatic.

"Palace fans are a pretty loyal bunch, but I think the overall feeling is that if Sage stays on then there is a really good chance they get relegated because of the goals that they are conceding.

"They are not cut adrift because in this Premier League you can get a couple of wins and move up the table so it is still a decent job [to take]."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Joe: Don't know what to say. Look good going forward, can't score. Three chances and three goals for them. I feel for Pierre Sage and the hand he has been dealt, but he must be able to get this team to be more defensive! I like him but it does feel like right manager, wrong time.

Paul: It's ironic that Sage is likely to be sacked after our best performance of the season, especially in the first half. Even a new manager is not keeping us up this season.

Steve: Defending doesn't seem to be high on Sage's priority list. While Palace played some nice football in patches, there was an inevitability about the scoreline. Sage seems completely unable to stop opposing teams driving through the defence like a knife through butter. This can't go on. Sadly, Sage's reign should surely come to an end, before it is too late.

Bob: We deserved to be bottom of the table in our previous games, but not with this performance. We played some very attractive football against Liverpool, but it's goals that win you the game. I'm always the first to criticise the Palace, but their football really impressed me and the defence also looked more solid. Axel Disasi and Tyrick Mitchell were outstanding. Please don't get rid of Sage yet as the whole team is working for him.

Liverpool fans

Jack: Great to see us playing well, especially after a disappointing past two games. Florian Wirtz looked really good and that goal and assist will do him the world of good. Alexander Isak continuing to thrive which is excellent to see. I am getting frustrated with Bradley Barcola's lack of goals but he's providing assists and his pace is exceptional on the counter. Alisson was amazing as well and was ridiculously unlucky to not keep a clean sheet. Well done Liverpool, keep it going when we face Manchester United please.

Paul: Liverpool are not going to win the league or the Champions League but there are some promising signs. I'd written off Alexis Mac Allister last season and assumed he was on his way out, but his return to top form is like getting a new signing and I love what I'm seeing from Trey Nyoni. He only came on for the last quarter but even then made a difference with forward passes, not sideways. Early days but could become a jewel in this Liverpool team.

Sam: I was starting to wonder if Alisson still has it, but if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have won this game. I still think there's so much more to come from this team and really excited for what's to come if they find their groove.

Reece: Thought we played really well. After a disappointing result against Fenerbahce, we needed to win this. Good in possession, solid defensively, and very quick in the counter attacks. Took our goals really well. Unfortunate to concede late on, for me, was never a penalty. But all in all, a much better performance and result.

Image source, Getty Images

The defeat against Liverpool will be the end of Pierre Sage's time at Crystal Palace, says fan Ollie Thomas.

The French manager has won just two of his 10 opening Premier League games as the Eagles sit bottom of the table on seven points.

Ollie told BBC Sport: "I've said so many times 'Pierre Sage's days are numbered, how long has he got left?'

"But this this will be the end of him I think, it has to be,"

"I think these players are being made to look a lot worse than they are. A lot of of fans have decided the whole squad is useless, that the whole thing is a waste of time and no manager will come in and succeed but I don't buy that narrative.

"I think a defensively sturdy manager keeps us up but if we don't change anything and Sage is still the manager going into November and December time, I'll be happy for him because I like him as a bloke and would love it to work but I think we will go down if that happens."

Listen to Ollie's full reflection here

Hear more from Ollie: "Sage has been dealt a tough hand"

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage is in serious danger of losing his job only five months into his reign, with the club bottom of the Premier League going into the international break.

Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool was Palace's fourth successive league loss, with Sage's side having won just two of their 10 league matches this season.

The club have held internal talks aimed at deciding Sage's future and his potential successor.

Former Tottenham and Brentford manager Thomas Frank is viewed as a strong candidate, while ex-Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche also has some support internally.

Both are out of work and would be available to start immediately.

• Read more from Sami

Discussing what's going wrong on Match of the Day, pundit Dion Dublin said: "It's a horrible place to be when you're trying everything but nothing is working. You're not scoring and you're not organised at the back and it's tough.

"They have been dismantled and lost a lot of quality players from the first team who made a difference defensively or going forward. When you lose quality like that then you are going to struggle."

Leon Osman added: "They are a shadow of themselves at the minute. This doesn't look like a team that has won anything over the last few seasons.

"I'm not seeing a way out for them."

Palace have taken just seven points from their 10 league matches and have the worst defensive record in the league, having conceded 24 goals.

If he is dismissed, Frenchman Sage could become the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season.

Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town are ready to rival Everton in their pursuit of former Italy Under-21 forward Kelvin Yeboah, 26, who has scored 18 goals in 32 games this season for MLS side Minnesota United. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Things are looking bleak for Palace as the second international break of the season arrives.

Following FA Cup and Conference League winner Glasner was always going to be a huge task for Sage, but few would have expected Palace to be sitting at the bottom of the table.

But if Sage's time in south London is to come to an end, then he may count himself unfortunate.

Last time out, Palace had to battle away at Tottenham with 10 men for nearly 80 minutes when Jean-Philippe Mateta was shown a red card before slumping to a 2-0 loss.

And now he will wonder how his side did not find the back of the net until the 95th minute against Liverpool, with Alisson being made to work throughout.

But once the opening goal went in for the visitors, Palace heads dropped, the stadium fell silent and it felt as though Liverpool could score as many as they wanted.

There was soft applause from the Palace fans as Sage made his way down the tunnel at full-time - but will he be in charge when they take on Coventry City on 21 November?

Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Football is not about what you deserve, it's about what you do and what level of efficiency you have and today we missed too much because we created a lot of chances, especially first half.

"We made a mistake on the build-up to the free-kick for their first goal and we concede. We made a mistake because we made a transition, we lost the ball high. In the second half, we had to push but when you push, you open the spaces, especially with the speed of the opponent, it was a good scenario for them."

On missing chances: "To have the chances, to have the expected goals, to have the possession is not winning. We need points and, for the moment, we are not in a position where we're putting in line the performance and the result.

"We have have to manage much better the same details to switch things."

On attacking Liverpool: "We wanted to attack without exposing space at our back. We created our chances by moving together or in transition in the first half. But in the second half, things changed with the score and the gameplan was to adapt to this situation.

"We tried to come back in this game but in opening up for them, that's the risk we took and we conceded for that."

On his mood: "It's not good to go into the international break in this situation, two weeks without games. We will not have our players to work with but we have to keep in mind our way, what we have to change to be more efficient in how we defend and attack.

"We have to be more competitive. At the moment, we create some things, we expect a lot of things but we don't have the results expected."

Did you know?

• Crystal Palace have conceded 24 Premier League goals this season, their most in their first 10 matches of any league campaign since 1980-81 (also 24).

Crystal Palace starting XI:

Dean Henderson: Made a couple of good saves though was well beaten for all three goals. 5

Jefferson Lerma: Initially battled well against the visitors frontline but Liverpool's quality was too much. 4

Chris Richards: Part of a backline that had their work cut out and ultimately conceded three goals that were far too easy. 4

Axel Disasi: Like Lerma and Richards, kept Alexander Isak quiet for most the game but punished in the end. 4

Oscar Mingueza: The Spaniard was good on the ball but perhaps didn't push forward enough. 5

Adam Wharton: Tidy in possession and had a glancing header saved by Alisson though wasn't able to dictate the tempo of the game. 5

Quinten Timber: Lost Mac Allister for the first goal. Played some good deliveries but his decision-making was poor. Replaced on the hour mark. 4

Tyrick Mitchell: Was really good going forward and found Pino who hit the bar, before teeing up Kamada, who forced a save from Alisson. 6

Daichi Kamada: Nearly scored with a solid volley but on the whole, didn't do enough to challenge Kerkez down Liverpool's left. 5

Yeremy Pino: One of the few positives for Palace. Hit the woodwork in the first half and constantly posed Liverpool problems with his quality. Unlucky not to score. 7

Jorgen Strand Larsen: Had a couple of openings in the first-half and did ask questions of Liverpool's backline. 5

Crystal Palace substitutes:

Osorio (on 60, Timber): Failed to really have an impact. 5

Nketiah (on 72, Strand Larsen): Missed a good chance but scored from the spot. 6

Khalaili (on 87, Mingueza):

McNeil (on 87, Pini):

Subs not used: Benitez, Canvot, Khalaili, Chilwell, Doucoure, Hughes

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are five games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brighton v Brentford - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Bournemouth - live on BBC Sport website and app

• Sunderland v Chelsea - live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Manchester United v Aston Villa (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated.

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Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage was not helped by Jean-Philippe Mateta's sending-off in their defeat by Tottenham and the Eagles striker will miss this game after they failed with their appeal to overturn the decision.

Whether you thought that was a red card or not, you feel for Sage because he is coming under a lot of pressure and a lot of Palace's problems are not his fault - he took charge at a difficult time.

Liverpool have issues too, and they come into this game off the back of a lousy performance and result against Fenerbahce on Wednesday.

Aston Villa hit the Turkish side for six a couple of weeks ago, but Liverpool struggled to keep them quiet and Palace might feel they can pick the Reds off in the same way.

Liverpool won't change the way they play under Andoni Iraola, so they will try to be aggressive with their press but are likely to be left open again if Palace get past it.

I don't see that happening this time, though, mostly because Palace have been so poor.

Liverpool were leaky against Fenerbahce, but I am going for them to keep a clean sheet here and get a sneaky away win, with Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola getting their goals.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Paul Birch
BBC Sport journalist

Struggling Crystal Palace welcome a Liverpool side to Selhurst Park who have lost their past two fixtures. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes going into Sunday's game.

Pierre Sage must be cursing his luck. The embattled Palace boss watched any pre-match plans against Tottenham go up in smoke when Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off after just 13 minutes.

What followed was extreme one-way traffic as Sage's side had a mere two shots to Tottenham's 34, two touches in the opposition box to 67, an xG of 0.14 to 3.26 and had to try to survive on just 21% possession.

They have slipped into the bottom three, which tends to happen if you lose three matches in a row by an aggregate score of 9-0, and have conceded the most goals of any top-flight side.

Their poor form in 2026 as a whole has seen them lose the most games (15) and concede the most goals (52), as well as winning the joint fewest games (six) and scoring the joint fewest goals (29) of any ever-present team.

The Eagles have also faced 79 shots more than they have had this season - the widest margin of any Premier League side. Only three teams in the past seven campaigns have had as big a differential after nine games and all three of them went on to be relegated (Sheffield United in 2023-24, Leicester in 2024-25 and Burnley last season).

One particular defensive flaw that needs ironing out is conceding from headers. The two Tottenham scored took Palace's tally this season to six, twice as many as any other side.

At least they will be buoyed by their recent record against Liverpool. After 10 straight top-flight defeats, Palace have lost just three of their past eight encounters and during one of their four meetings last season secured a home league win versus the Reds for the first time since 2014.

Liverpool looking to bounce back after bad week

Having lost just one of his first 13 matches in charge of Liverpool, Andoni Iraola has seen his side suffer back-to-back defeats.

He cut a figure of frustration during their 3-2 defeat to Fenerbahce and described the goals they conceded - all of which were via set-pieces - as "cheap" and "messy". It meant they have let in three goals in three successive European matches for the first time.

A first home defeat by Arsenal in 14 years was also a cause of annoyance. They didn't play badly, but it was the first time they failed to record a shot on target in 442 Premier League matches at Anfield since records began in 2003-04.

It also extended the gap between Iraola's side and the Gunners to nine points after nine games.

While they have managed just one win and scored only four goals in their five home league matches, life has been much better on the road. Only Arsenal can beat their tally of 10 away points, while Nottingham Forest (83%) are the only side to have won a higher share of their points on their travels than Liverpool's 67%.

Taking into account fixtures with former club Bournemouth, Iraola is unbeaten in all 13 of his Premier League away games in 2026, with his last loss coming at Brentford in December 2025. The only managers to go unbeaten in 14 or more games from the start of a calendar year are Sir Alex Ferguson (14 in 1999), Jose Mourinho (14 in 2005) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (15 in 2021).

Iraola has been cautious with his squad selections thus far. No top-flight side has used fewer players than their 20, while only four players have scored a league goal so far (excluding own goals).

Ailsa Cowen
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Liverpool at Selhurst Park (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Jean-Philippe Mateta's absence through suspension: "Mateta was injured at the beginning of the season and there was the opportunity for Jorgen Strand Larsen and Eddie Nketiah to play. We have to deal with it. We have big confidence in the other players. They've shown they are able to play and they are able to compete."

• Sage added: "We need them in the play, we need them to press and we need them to score, to finalise the offensive play. Jorgen showed that against Ipswich and against Lech Poznan - that's why we know he's able to score. Eddie scored against Fulham and against Lech Poznan too. Eddie is able to play as a number 10 too. We will see what will happen on Sunday, but we have some solutions."

• On Larsen's fitness: "He didn't play on Thursday because the scenario of the game was not positive for him to have the possibility to let him play. I think he's able to play 60, 75 minutes and with the head and the stamina, maybe he can push this."

• On Ismaila Sarr, who has not featured since 22 October after dealing with a groin injury: "He will come back after the international break."

• On Palace's inconsistent start to the Premier League season: "It's difficult to find the good things over a long period, because when we started to do things in a good way, some bad things emerged." He added: "In this period, I don't want to blame the players because I'm always behind them and I have a lot of confidence in them. They will continue the work and build the things."

• On the improvements needed from his side: "I work on a lot of uncertainty about the way we play. But I have to deal and to change the things to improve all. I keep the confidence in our work because I see the players working every day in a good way."

• Sage said facing Liverpool is "a big challenge" but added: "It's maybe the opportunity to create something special for this group."

• Asked about Liverpool's mixed recent results, Sage replied: "I'm not in a good position to comment. I have to be respectful with this club. They lost against Arsenal and Fenerbahce. Every game is different and we have to create a good condition from the beginning."

Listen to full match commentary of Crystal Palace v Liverpool on Sunday on BBC Radio5 Live and BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim in the Europa League.

Here are some of your comments:

Al: Another early goal conceded is a bad habit but a gritty display and a tinkering of structure when Wharton sent off helped. The late goal was deserved but we will need to be sharper and tighter against Liverpool on Sunday.

Steve: Palace showed commendable courage and determination to salvage a point. But, their overall play seemed without any structure. Once again, the defence lacked any sense of calm, frequently panicking to clear their penalty box. Sage needs to change the formation, before a better quality team, like Liverpool, gives them a real hiding.

Griff: We kept going until the end and, despite not playing well, rescued a point. Well done, lads!

Clive: It's not good enough. All that we have achieved and built over the past two seasons is being eroded away. It's heartbreaking A change must be made before there is no way back.

Reg: Hoffenheim the better side. Shame about their diving and another ref who bought it every time. Palace looked flat footed except for brief spells, particularly when down to 10. Showed some character but might need more than that on Sunday against Liverpool. Don't understand why they are coached to play across the back when they aren't very good at it. Mix it up. One early cross when they were desperate to score. Long season ahead.

Runj: Sage is so incredibly passive on the touchline. There's no communication on to the pitch and, I'm sorry to say, he's looking very much out of his depth.

Ethan: We conceded a goal. Even if we scored a equaliser, we still aren't winning and this is our problem. Now Wharton is suspended so no good there. Not good enough.

Image source, Getty Images

England manager Thomas Tuchel has named his squad for November's matches against Croatia and Spain.

Key talking points include no Cole Palmer again, no Phil Foden, no Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and a return for Ben White, while Fulham's Josh King is included.

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Leeds United), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

Defenders: Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Marc Guehi (Man City), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter Milan), Ben White (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Josh King (Fulham), James Garner (Everton), Elliot Anderson (Man City), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Declan Rice (Arsenal).

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea).

Get more reaction on the squad