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Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked as Tottenham Hotspur manager after five and a half years at the club.

The news was confirmed in a Spurs club statement on Tuesday, with chairman Daniel Levy saying:

"We were extremely reluctant to make this change and it is not a decision the Board has taken lightly, nor in haste. Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing."

The Argentinian departs with Spurs lying 14th in the Premier League table on 14 points after 12 games:

Since beating Leicester City 3-1 on February 10, Tottenham have won just six times in 24 matches in the English top flight, and they are currently on a five-game winless run in the league.

Pochettino led Tottenham to their first UEFA Champions League final back in June, which they lost 2-0 to Liverpool, but the club's hierarchy clearly think that was merely papering over some fundamental cracks.

Early in the 2019-20 season, there have been issues off the field as well as on, not least the seeming disinterest of players like Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who have all been linked with exits:

For many, though, the 47-year-old's dismissal is likely to be viewed as premature:

He oversaw one of the most successful periods in Tottenham's history and established the club as Champions League regulars:

Pochettino's departure from Spurs will likely pique the interest of numerous other top clubs across Europe:

Tottenham are back in action in the Premier League on Saturday when they visit West Ham United.