Redknapp targets top four assault

Harry Redknapp refuses to give up on getting back into the top four after Peter Crouch redeemed himself following his red card against Real Madrid by scoring twice against Stoke.

While Spurs' Champions League hopes are all but over ahead of Wednesday's quarter-final second leg, Redknapp claim after Saturday's 3-2 win that their season was far from finished.

And although he is relying on a favour from Liverpool to keep the gap to three points - Kenny Dalglish's team take on Manchester City on Monday - Redknapp is confident his players can qualify for the Champions League again.

"It is still wide open," Redknapp said. "If Liverpool beat Manchester City on Monday night it is wide open again.

"Chelsea were 0-0 late in our game and you were left thinking that they could slip up."

Crouch's opener ended a 413-minute run without a goal for Tottenham stretching back to ther 3-3 draw with Wolves in March.

The England striker was played as a two-man attack with Roman Pavlyuchenko and Redknapp added his side will not be short of goals for the Premier League run-in.

Crouch is of course suspended for the home leg against Real Madrid, but Redknapp's focus is firmly fixed on domestic matters after admitting he is "realistic" about their Champions League hopes.

And he believes Crouch and Pavyluchenko are a good combination, despite their similarities.

"They did well. Pavlyuchenko is not a header of the ball. He comes and holds it up, he joins in. His movement today was good and he deserved a goal. He had a great strike late on and I was pleased.

"He put a good shift in."

On the end of the goal drought Redknapp added: "I knew they would come, when you play the type of football we play we create enough chances, it is just a matter of sticking them away.

"We did go through a little spell of not scoring but I don't go home and lay in bed thinking 'we haven't scored for a couple of weeks'."

Luka Modric added to Crouch's early strike, before Matthew Etherington pulled one back for Stoke.

Crouch doubled his tally before Kenwyne Jones struck just before half time.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis denied his players had an eye on their FA Cup semi-final against Bolton next weekend, as they are still mathematically in relegation danger despite being 12th.

"We are fighting for our lives, just like everybody else who wants to stay in the Premier League," Pulis said.

"We wanted to come here and win. We need as many points as we possibly can.

"There was no-one I could say they were trying to save themselves for the semi-final next week, which is very pleasing.

"It shows how strong the characters are and how strong this group is.

"We need to get to 40 points as quickly as we can then we can start looking over our shoulders and wait.

"As soon as you get to 40, that is the watershed for points for everybody, otherwise you are waiting and relying on other results.

"There are still six games to go, so the sooner we get to 40 the more hair I will save this year."