Sage apologises and admits uncertain future after Palace's 5-0 loss to Brighton
Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage said he felt shame after a 5-0 defeat by Brighton, took responsibility for the performance and admitted he does not know if he will get time to turn things around.
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage said he felt "shame" after his side's 5-0 thrashing by Brighton and admitted he does not know whether he will be given time to save his job. Palace conceded three goals inside the opening 10 minutes and suffered their heaviest defeat to their rivals since January 1956.
Sage, appointed in the summer, placed the blame on himself rather than his players. He said he prepares the team and provides the motivation, so the responsibility for what happened on the pitch was his. He called the start abnormal and said the display was Palace's "worst face", adding that a game of that kind demanded a different response.
The Frenchman, who previously led Lens to the French Cup and a second-place finish in Ligue 1, also apologised to supporters. He said he was sorry the team had not shown the level expected and had failed to demonstrate how much the match mattered to them. Asked directly whether he would get time to fix the problems, he replied that he did not know.
The result adds to a difficult start at Selhurst Park. Palace sit 14th in the Premier League with two wins from seven games, and their 17 goals conceded are the most in the top flight. The contrast with the previous era is stark: under Oliver Glasner, Palace won the FA Cup for the first time in 2025 and then lifted the Conference League in May.
Palace now face a busy run, travelling to Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday before hosting Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday. They have one win and one loss from their two Europa League matches so far.
