Pierre Sage stood by himself on the Selhurst Park pitch for the first time before a game in a contemplative mood.He was “not here for toys,” he said. The new Crystal Palace manager was not focused on savouring the emotion, the occasion or the atmosphere of the build up, but on preparing the final parts of how he would approach the game against Manchester City.As he gazed upon Selhurst, the players warmed up, the mascots ran around and Pete the Eagle flapped around excitedly.Some things haven’t changed, but many have. Sage’s presence at Selhurst is the most obvious after Oliver Glasner’s departure.From kick-off the atmosphere was different. Gone were the Holmesdale Fanatics and the familiar, repetitive beat of the drum and their repertoire of orchestrated songs, after the group announced it would “stop all organised activity”. Gone are most of the modern add-ons to the Main Stand, a temporary hospitality suite built while the redevelopment of the stadium is ongoing.There was no HF, no Jean-Philippe Mateta — disaffected, desperate to leave and in dispute with Palace over his contract situation but not available because he is out for at least four weeks with a hamstring injury — and no Ismaila Sarr, officially out with a groin injury but also unsettled by transfer interest. No Marc Guehi in a Palace shirt. No Maxence Lacroix. No Daniel Munoz in the starting line-up.So much was different at Selhurst for this opening home game of the season. Some of it has been enforced, but it begs the question of how much change Palace can withstand and, perhaps more pertinently, how quickly that can shift to familiarity again?It is clear why Palace will not even contemplate selling Sarr. For all the huffing and puffing for Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino and, even accounting for the latter’s outstanding free kick to pull a goal back, they are not strong enough in the No 10 position without his efficiency, directness and finishing ability.