Christmas is supposedly a time of goodwill and cheer, however things were far from merry for all concerned with Swansea City back in the winter of 2017.

The club were in dire straits languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table, with the board on the look-out for a new manager following the sacking of Paul Clement.

With just three wins from their opening 20 league games, the Swans knew that drastic changes had to be made, with the threat of relegation a real possibility following a heavy 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, leaving them sitting five points adrift of safety.

Here, we take a look at when the Welsh club appointed Carlos Carvalhal as their new manager...

It was a decision that certainly raised eyebrows across the country, particular of those in Yorkshire. Just four days earlier, Carvalhal was sacked by Sheffield Wednesday, with the Owls underachieving and sitting in midtable in the Championship.

When a club is facing a real threat of relegation, many opt for a more experienced, safe option to take the reins, however it wasn't to be in this particular case, and it was a decision that left the vast majority of Swansea fans stunned...

As expected, it was too big of a task to handle for Carvalhal. The Portuguese boss hit the ground running at the Liberty Stadium, picking up some magnificent wins against the likes of Liverpool and Swansea in quick succession.

But the Swans eventually ran out of steam, and even the club-record signing of Andre Ayew in January failed to install new life into the squad, as they were ultimately relegated to the Championship.

Subsequently, Carvalhal was relieved of his duties in South Wales, having won just eight out of 25 games in charge of the Swans - it was a disastrous tenure for the 53-year old, who should arguably have never been appointed in the first place in most people's views...