Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage is not yet facing immediate dismissal despite a difficult start to the season, but the club’s defensive problems must improve quickly, former Manchester United scout Mick Brown has said.
Palace have collected three points from their opening four matches since Sage replaced Oliver Glasner. Saturday’s 3-2 defeat by Ipswich, sealed by a late winner, left the new manager under early pressure.
Their defensive record is a particular concern, with the side conceding 11 goals in four games. Brown believes Palace will allow Sage time to address the problems, provided there are signs of progress in the coming weeks.
Crystal Palace defence must improve, says Mick Brown
“I don’t think Crystal Palace will be particularly worried at the moment,” Brown told Football Insider.
He pointed to the team’s performance in their win against Fulham and said there were positives to take from their attacking play and even from some of the matches they had lost.
However, Brown added: “But… how poor they have been defensively, and that is something that has got to change.”
He said Sage had time to resolve the issues on the training ground, but warned that improvements needed to come soon. Palace, he argued, would want to see evidence that the manager was addressing the weaknesses.
“If they keep conceding goals, though, and they don’t look like putting a stop to it, that’s when they might have a decision to make,” Brown said.
Sage may therefore remain safe for now, but Palace’s supporters and owners will expect clear progress in the weeks ahead.
