Boos greet Palace defeat as pressure mounts on Pierre Sage

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage is under growing pressure after his side’s 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle left them in the Premier League’s bottom four and prompted boos from supporters at Selhurst Park.

The loss was Palace’s fifth in eight league games and extended their winless run to four matches. They have taken seven points in the league since Sage replaced Oliver Glasner, whose two-year spell brought the club an FA Cup, a European trophy and the Community Shield.

Sage said there was “no noise inside the club” and described the fans’ reaction as a consequence of results. “It’s normal that people lose patience when you lose, because everybody wants to win,” he said after the match.

The 47-year-old, who signed a three-year contract after winning Ligue 1 manager of the year with Lens, said decisions about his future belonged to the chairman and owners. He added that his focus was on helping the players improve and compete.

Palace’s defensive record is a particular concern: they have conceded 19 goals in eight league matches, the most in the division. Their last league win came against Nottingham Forest on 11 October. Since then, they have lost to Lyon in the Europa League and Brighton, and drawn 2-2 with Besiktas.

Former players and pundits have questioned whether Sage needs to be more demanding. French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live that Sage was “maybe a little bit too nice at times”, while former England forward Dion Dublin said: “It’s no good being lovely with everything.” Those are their assessments, as Palace prepare for a run of fixtures that includes a trip to Tottenham next Saturday and a home match against Liverpool on 8 November.