Mark Lawrenson: 'Sacking Andre Villas-Boas would be a mistake by Tottenham Hotspur'

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy would be making a mistake if he sacks manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Rumours that the Portuguese coach could be given his marching orders have rumbled once again after Spurs lost 5-0 to Liverpool at White Hart Lane yesterday.

"Daniel Levy will not be a happy man this morning," Lawrenson wrote in The Mirror. "His mood will be mirrored by many, many Tottenham fans across the land and around the world after that humiliation by Liverpool on Sunday.

"But when he allows the dust to settle and picks over wreckage he will realise sacking Andre Villas-Boas would be the wrong thing to do. They need to stick with it.

"If they win on Wednesday night, they are into the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup. If they get a decent draw today in the Europa League, they can progress in that competition. It will come in the league if they give it time. If they panic they could set themselves back further."

Tottenham are seventh in the Premier League table.