Sage.
The managerial merry-go-round in the Premier League has gathered pace, with Crystal Palace and Manchester United parting ways with their respective managers, Pierre Sage and Michael Carrick, within 24 hours, raising fresh questions about which manager could be next to lose his job.
Crystal Palace announced on Thursday that Sage had left the club after just 16 matches in charge, following a disappointing run of results that left the London side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.
The club also confirmed the departure of three members of his coaching staff: Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard.
In a statement on its website, Palace thanked Sage and his assistants for their contributions and wished them well in their future endeavours.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in South London, and wish them well for the future,” the statement said.
The club added that an update on the appointment of a new manager would be provided in due course.
Sage was appointed in June on a three-year contract to replace Oliver Glasner but struggled to make an impact at Selhurst Park.
The Frenchman managed only two victories and one draw in 10 Premier League matches, with his final outing ending in a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Palace had also suffered four consecutive league defeats and conceded 24 goals in their opening 10 matches, leaving them bottom of the standings.
According to The Guardian, Sage had been under mounting pressure since the club’s 5-0 defeat to Brighton last month, with Palace’s hierarchy increasingly concerned about the team’s poor performances.
The 47-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park with considerable expectations after previous spells at Lyon and Lens, where he helped the latter secure qualification for the Champions League.
His departure came on the same day Manchester United confirmed the dismissal of Michael Carrick, making it two high-profile managerial casualties within 24 hours.
Carrick’s exit followed a disastrous start to the campaign that left United struggling in the relegation zone, with only eight points from their opening 10 Premier League matches.
The former United midfielder had initially been appointed in January and exceeded expectations by guiding the club to a third-place finish at the end of the 2025/26 season.
He won 12 of his 17 matches during that period, recording the highest points tally in the league over the same stretch, before signing a two-year contract in May.
However, United’s fortunes have taken a dramatic downturn this season, with just three victories in 15 matches across all competitions.
His final match was Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, after which he insisted he had no intention of walking away from the job.
But the club’s hierarchy reportedly reached the decision to dismiss him following a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday involving co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
United, in announcing his departure, said the decision followed a disappointing start to the season and the need for a change to achieve the club’s ambitions.
Carrick had earned praise for stabilising the team after Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign ended in January. However, an underwhelming transfer window, concerns over dressing-room discipline and disagreements involving senior players reportedly contributed to his difficulties.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was dropped after criticising Carrick’s tactics following a 4-1 defeat to Champions League debutants Como, while defender Lisandro Martinez also expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s recruitment policy.
Meanwhile, former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, currently in charge of the United States national team, has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Carrick at Old Trafford.
With two managers already shown the exit door within a day, attention is now turning to other clubs experiencing difficult starts to the season.
The Premier League’s unforgiving managerial landscape has once again demonstrated that reputation and past achievements offer little protection when results fail to meet expectations.
But with Crystal Palace and Manchester United already making their moves, the big question is: whose turn will it be next?
