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Villas-Boas: sacked this morning. Stephen Pond/PA Wire/Press Association Images
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Andre Villas-Boas sacked by Spurs

Decision taken “by mutual consent” after yesterday’s 5-0 defeat against Liverpool.

Updated 11.44

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

The decision was taken “by mutual consent” after yesterday’s 5-0 loss against Liverpool, Spurs’ heaviest home defeat in 16 seasons.

Former England boss Fabio Capello has been installed by bookmakers as the early favourite for the job with Guus Hiddink and Michael Laudrup also linked with the North London club this morning.

Spurs said: “The club can announce that agreement has been reached with head coach, Andre Villas-Boas, for the termination of his services.

The decision was by mutual consent and in the interests of all parties.

We wish Andre well for the future. We shall make a further announcement in due course.

Villas-Boas and his players were booed off the pitch yesterday as the home fans at White Hart Lane made their voices heard.

The result left Spurs in seventh place, five points outside the Champions League places and still two points better than defending champions Manchester United.

But in the wake of last month’s 6-0 humiliation against Manchester City, a second heavy defeat to a top four rival left Villas-Boas on the brink.

A £105 million summer transfer binge only added to the pressure on the Portuguese, who arrived at the club in July 2012.

Spurs finished fifth in his first season, narrowly missing out on a Champions League place to rivals Arsenal.

But when they cashed in on Gareth Bale, selling the Welsh star to Real Madrid for a world record fee in excess of £85 million, Villas-Boas faced the unenviable task of rebuilding without one of the world’s biggest names.

The bulk of that money was spent on four players — Spanish forward Roberto Soldado (£26 million), Erik Lamela (£26 million), Paulinho (£17 million) and Christian Eriksen (£11.5 million).

Three more summer signings — Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Nacer Chadli — took the spree above the £100 million mark.

After losing five times already this season, including the hammerings against City and Liverpool, the Spurs board have moved for a swift change.

Capello, Hiddink and Laudrup have all been linked as have club legends Glenn Hoddle and Tim Sherwood who could team up as a double act.

– First published 11.09

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