Crystal Palace are set to sack manager Pierre Sage with the club rock bottom of the Premier League table following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Sage’s departure has been mooted for some time, but Palace’s decision-makers are now expected to part ways with the Frenchman heading into the international break.

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The problems at Palace stretch far beyond Sage’s control, with the club failing to adequately replace key players such as Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi, but after two wins from his opening 10 league games, it had become clear a change in personnel was needed.

As early as September, Palace had contemplated replacing Sage, but the Frenchman was afforded more time, with the club yet to identify a successor and the side’s defensive issues showing signs of improvement as they battled to a 0-0 draw away to Leeds before the last international break.

Though he was well liked by the majority of the players, Sage struggled to get his ideas across, and his fixation with getting Palace to run and press ultimately caused frustration as the Eagles’ defensive issues were exposed time and again.

Palace have conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season, and understands there was a feeling that Sage was willing to die by his ideas.

Several flashpoints across the season raised concern, including the 5-0 defeat to Brighton last month and Sage’s decision to drop teenage defender Jaydee Canvot ahead of their 3-2 defeat to Ipswich.

His lack of communication did not go down well with some players, and it was felt that, even in victory, Palace were at times fortunate as their performances lacked control.

Succeeding Oliver Glasner, Palace’s most successful manager, was always going to be a hard task, and increasingly Sage looked a defeated man despite maintaining a personable front with the media.

Palace are now expected to move quickly to name a successor, with former Brentford and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank reportedly the frontrunner for the job.