Overview
- A report published on Wednesday said Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was frustrated that Pierre Sage left Jaydee Canvot out of the matchday squad, a story that has been queried by club insiders and some journalists.
- Sage has defended the omission as a 'sporting decision', saying he spoke to Canvot, wants to see an improved response from him and will judge players on current training and form.
- Palace have lost three of their opening four Premier League games under Sage, a poor start that has increased pressure on selections and prompted the board to demand clearer defensive improvement.
- Former coach Mick Brown warned that publicly criticising and dropping first‑team players risks unsettling the dressing room and could prompt agents or players to push back.
- Coverage differs on motives for the leak, with some writers suggesting it may be planted to build a paper trail for a future board decision, while others say Sage was hired to make the selection calls and should be given time, noting Palace signed 11 players in the summer and have had a disrupted pre‑season.