SAM ALLARDYCE believes Crystal Palace's decision to sack Frank de Boer just four matches into the Premier League season is a sign of the "panic" in the modern game.

De Boer, 47, was dismissed by Palace yesterday after losing his fourth of four league fixtures with the club, namely the 1-0 defeat at Burnley.

"I have just heard the news that Frank has left today which is obviously very disappointing for him and for Palace," De Boer's predecessor Allardyce. "But it shows the panic in football today is ever increasing due to the size of the money and the fear of losing your position in the Premier League.

"As a manager, you have to live or die by your results and unfortunately now that is quicker than ever. It is a great shame that Palace have not continued where I left off. But I watched them yesterday and I have to say the fact they actually lost the game was beyond me. Twenty-two attempts at goal, complete domination but unfortunately the guys at the end, when the chances came, couldn't put the ball in the net. Four games with no points makes life extremely difficult for Palace."

The sacking came as no surprise to Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, who said no manager can feel safe. De Boer's departure comes only 77 days after he was appointed to his first job since being sacked by Inter Milan after 85 days, but despite serving so little of his three-year contract, Mourinho believes it has become near-routine.

"I was sacked [by Chelsea] as a champion, [former Leicester manager Claudio] Ranieri was sacked as a champion," said the Portuguese, also once of Inter.

"Frank de Boer is sacked after four matches and next season something incredible again, so nothing surprises me. That's the world where we are [in]. That's the world where many of you enjoy and also contribute to the kind of pressure that managers are involved in. But in football nothing surprises me."