Redknapp confident Spurs can stay in title hunt

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes his team will be part of the Premier League title race this season as they prepare for a match away to West Bromwich Albion this weekend.

Spurs lost their first two league matches of the campaign, to champions Manchester United and current leaders Manchester City.

But after taking 25 points from a possible 27 since, Redknapp has guided the north Londoners to third in the table ahead of the trip to The Hawthorns.

With Arsenal back in form and Liverpool boosted by their victory over Chelsea, Redknapp feels it is "not impossible" for a different championship winner after seven years of United and Chelsea monopolising the title.

"We're playing well," he said. "That top six is so tight, Arsenal have come back like I said they would and they are playing well.

"Liverpool put in a great performance at Chelsea and they will be bang there and Chelsea, Man United, Man City are always there."

City defeated Spurs 5-1 when they played at White Hart Lane earlier this season but Redknapp insists his side are a different prospect now.

Ledley King is managing his knee injury and playing regularly, uncertainty over Luka Modric's future has been put aside for the time being and the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor and Scott Parker has made a big difference.

"We beat Liverpool and Arsenal at home, Man City scored five against us but that won't happen again. We're a different team to that now," Redknapp said.

"The balance of the team is good and we have good players not in the team.

"William Gallas was fantastic for us last season -- he's fit and cannot get in. Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone are injured, Sandro played for Brazil last week and suddenly he is on the bench. He's a fantastic talent, a great young player.

"(Jermain) Defoe has not been able to get a starting place, two Croatia lads (Niko Kranjcar and Vedran Corluka) who qualified for the Euros are not in the squad -- we have a good group. It's a strong outfit."

Redknapp returned for Spurs' 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Monday following heart surgery three weeks earlier.

"It wasn't too bad because it was an international break and there weren't too many people around," he said. "It couldn't have been better timing, really.

"I don't feel like I've missed too much."

Meanwhile, mid-table West Brom have gained from the influence of midfielder Zoltan Gera, according to manager Roy Hodgson, although the 32-year-old Hungary international was troubled by an ankle injury at the start of the season.

"Gera can play on for some years because of his energy, enthusiasm and passion for the game," said Hodgson.

"What will limit him, and which limits all players in the end, is injuries and wear and tear. But I think that will be in the distant future for him.

"Certainly, at the moment, if you didn't know the ages of the players, you would not look at him in training sessions and think he is one of the older ones.

"You could quite easily see him as one of the younger ones because of the enthusiasm, passion and desire he shows to still be a good player. That's part of being a top footballer."

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