Pierre Sage has 'major problem' at Crystal Palace, it could cost him his job
Pierre Sage will face losing his job at Crystal Palace if he cannot turn around his side's defensive frailties in the near future.
The Eagles have conceded 11 goals in their first four Premier League games, more than any other side, and are now preparing to enter the Europa League.
Should their defence continue to ship goals as they have early in the season, questions will be asked of the manager's ability to organise his team.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Sage must address his side's "major problem" amid concerns that the fans could start to turn.
Sage is now at risk of losing sections of the Crystal Palace support as well as the board's backing if they cannot improve their defensive structure and start picking up results.
How do Crystal Palace feel about Pierre Sage's position?
Brown told Football Insider on 13 September that Crystal Palace are planning to back Sage and will give him time to impliment his ideas and start getting results.
Their win against Fulham is believed to have bought the boss more time to get his ideas across, but his side's clear weakness has led to growing concerns.
Should Sage prove unable to coach his side into being more defensively sound, he will continue to ship goals and lose games, and that could cost him his job.
"Crystal Palace have got to stop conceding goals," Brown told Football Insider.
"Of course attacking football is good, it's entertaining, it's what people pay to see for the most part, but that has to come alongside a solid and stable defence, otherwise there's no point.
"It's all well and good having results like 4-3, 3-2 and the rest when you're the ones coming out on top of them, if you're the ones with the four and the three.
"But it can quickly become quite annoying when you're on the wrong end of them, and Crystal Palace fans will find that out quickly if they haven't already after the Ipswich game.
"If you can't defend, you're not going to win games, and the manager will know that better than anybody, he will know it's an area of his team that he has got to improve.
"If he can't do that and they keep leaking goals and giving them away every week, then the fans will start to turn, and then it's not long before the club have to make a decision.
"Like I've said, it's okay when you're winning games, but when you're losing it can quickly become a major problem."
What other issues has Sage faced at Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace's defensive frailties are not the only issue bringing pressure on Sage's position at Selhurst Park, amid questions about his style of man-management.
In recent weeks, the boss has opted to drop Jaydee Canvot, Evann Guessand and Dwight McNeil from his squad, insisting they must improve to play under him.
Brown warned Football Insider on 14 September that Sage is at risk of causing problems in the Crystal Palace dressing room if he continues to publicly criticise his players.
He explained the boss has brought renewed pressure and criticism onto his players, when instead the issues should have been expressed in private and not revealed to the media.
On top of what has been a frustrating start to the season following a 3-2 defeat at home to Ipswich, Sage could do without creating new issues for himself internally.