A timeline of Nuno Espirito Santo's downfall at Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been relieved of his duties after just 17 games in charge.

The decision was taken following Saturday's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester United, which leaves the Lilywhites eighth in the top-flight rankings.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss oversaw nine wins and seven defeats from his 17 matches at the helm, but many believed that Santo was doomed from the start.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at Santo's downfall in North London.

AUGUST

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Santo was certainly not Daniel Levy's first, second or even third favourite to succeed Jose Mourinho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and there was an air of uncertainty when the ex-Wolves manager took the reins back in June.

Perhaps being handed a poisoned chalice - with Spurs turning to Santo to propel them back into the Champions League after a 13th-placed finish with Wolves the season before - the 47-year-old sought to quell those concerns in a stellar August run.

After overseeing a memorable opening-day Premier League win over Manchester City, Santo's side enjoyed victories over Wolves and Watford without conceding a goal, which saw the Spurs boss propel his side to the top of the rankings and scoop the Manager of the Month award in the process.

Defeat to Pacos de Ferreira in the Europa Conference League was an early blot on the notebook - although his side rectified that 1-0 defeat with a 3-0 triumph a couple of weeks later - but the downward spiral would soon begin.

SEPTEMBER

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With star striker Harry Kane failing to fire in the Premier League after the fiasco surrounding his blocked summer exit, a concerning run of results began for Spurs in September, with the Lilywhites lacking attacking guile and defensive discipline.

Three times Spurs would pit their wits against London-based opposition in Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal, and three times they would come out on the losing side, conceding nine goals and scoring just once in that run.

Defeat at the Emirates left a particularly sour taste in the mouth given how Spurs simply capitulated in the opening 45 minutes of that derby, as the questions surrounding Santo's tactics - or lack of - began streaming in.

Taking four points in the Conference League from clashes with Rennes and Mura while overcoming Wolves on penalties in the EFL Cup did paper over the cracks somewhat, but it was an all-too familiar sight for Spurs supporters as their side plummeted down the Premier League rankings.

OCTOBER

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Things finally appeared to be looking up for Santo and Spurs as they claimed back-to-back top-flight wins over Newcastle United and Aston Villa, but once again, the capital club were hardly convincing winners in either battle.

The muted celebrations of overcoming Burnley in the EFL Cup failed to drown out the moans and groans of the home crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially when Santo opted to leave his first-choice XI at home for defeat to Vitesse in the Conference League only for his strongest side to go and lose 1-0 to West Ham United in the Premier League.

Finally, a nightmare showing against Manchester United - with Ben Davies and Giovani Lo Celso handed surprising starts while Lucas Moura's substitution was not well-received - culminated in the 3-0 defeat that would ultimately break Santo's time in North London.

Regarded by several as a panic appointment after numerous other managerial pursuits fell through, Santo may have simply taken on a job that was too big for him at a club where the atmosphere is hardly welcoming, especially with hostility towards Levy growing by the year.

However, if reports about Antonio Conte's imminent arrival are to be believed, a new wave of optimism should overcome the Spurs faithful, as Levy and Fabio Paratici seek to quickly consign the failed Santo project to history.