Crystal Palace are preparing for life without Pierre Sage, with the Frenchman facing mounting pressure following another damaging defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Eagles sit bottom of the table after losing four consecutive league matches, leaving the club two points adrift of safety.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford boss Thomas Frank has emerged as the leading candidate to take over at Selhurst Park.

Pierre Sage on the brink of sack at Crystal Palace

Sage's position is increasingly precarious after a 3-1 defeat at Selhurst Park left Palace rooted to the foot of the Premier League.

The Eagles have now suffered four successive league defeats by an aggregate score of 12-1, while their defensive record has become a major concern after conceding 24 goals in their opening 10 matches.

There had already been concerns within the club about Sage's appointment before the campaign began, despite his impressive work in France with Lens and Lyon.

Palace are set to sack manager Pierre Sage following their 3-1 defeat by Liverpool. Result leaves them bottom of the Premier League after a complete round of games for the first time since December 2017 #CPFC @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/kIVduqHpYC

— Matt Woosnam (@MattWoosie) November 8, 2026

The 46-year-old guided RC Lens to second place in Ligue 1 last season and won the Coupe de France, but he has struggled to translate that success into results in England.

Palace have shown occasional promise, including victories over Fulham and Nottingham Forest, but a disastrous 5-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion and a prolonged goal drought have intensified the scrutiny.

Sage, appointed on a three-year contract in June, insisted after the Liverpool loss that his own position was not his priority, instead stressing the need to find an effective solution for the club.

Thomas Frank the favourite to land Palace job

According to the Telegraph, Frank is now the leading contender to replace Sage, with Palace having sounded out potential successors in recent weeks.

The former Brentford manager has been out of work since leaving Tottenham in February, where he recorded a Premier League win rate of just 26.9% – the lowest of any Spurs manager in the competition's history.

However, his achievements at Brentford are likely to carry considerably more weight in Palace's assessment.

Frank guided the Bees into the Premier League and subsequently secured their highest-ever top-flight finish of ninth in 2022-23.

He has reportedly been promised significant investment in the squad during January should he accept the position, potentially giving him the opportunity to address Palace's shortcomings.

Frank is arguably a more proven option in English football than Sage, but the quality and balance of the squad remain major concerns - even an experienced appointment will need substantial backing if Palace are to climb away from the relegation zone.