What problems await Pierre Sage at Crystal Palace?

Pierre Sage won the French Cup last summer while in charge of Lens, bringing the club its first ever cup. He had also enjoyed a season close to second place in Ligue 1. The 47-year-old coach, who took charge of Crystal Palace in July, quickly faced a difficult situation. The Eagles are in the Premier League relegation zone and have the worst defence in the league. The side have failed to score in their last three league games and have conceded nine.

After falling two goals behind at Tottenham, Sage said after the match: "This is a disaster." The departures of Daniel Munoz and Maxence Lacroix in the summer left a big hole in the team, and the players who came in have not reached that level.

Ismaila Sarr's injury has also added to the team's burden. Sarr scored 21 goals last season. Adam Wharton's form over the last three months has also fallen short of expectations. Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off in the 13th minute of his second Premier League starting XI match and will not be available for the next three matches.

Sage's selection of this squad is also being questioned. The team host Liverpool on Sunday at 14:00. If they lose, they could sink to the bottom of the league.