Harry Redknapp hailed sharp-shooter Jermain Defoe after his sensational five-goal haul.

The England marksman was in devastating form as Tottenham routed hapless Wigan at White Hart Lane.

Spurs were only leading 1-0 at the break through Peter Crouch, but they ran riot in the second half with Defoe’s five-timer and further goals from Aaron Lennon, substitute David Bentley and Niko Kranjcar.

“It’s like a dream, it’s brilliant,” said Defoe. “I looked over at the boss and I think he was in shock!”

Defoe also revealed that coach Clive Allen had persuaded him to change his green boots before the game. He said: “Clive said I couldn’t wear them, so I changed them. They were pinkish silver ones in the end, and I go and score five.”

Spurs boss Redknapp said: “Jermain was sharp around the box, a real handful.

“He is a great goalscorer, an amazing finisher. He has been doing that since he was 14 at West Ham. I used to watch him as a kid and every Saturday he would bang goals in.”

Redknapp showed remarkable restraint as Spurs went goal crazy, but he said that was out of respect to Wigan’s crest-fallen manager Roberto Martinez.

“I didn’t want to be jumping up and down,” said Redknapp. “I know what their manager was going through. It’s difficult. As happy as I am I can imagine what he was going through. I wasn’t going to run up and down the touchline.”

The victory moves Spurs up to fourth in the table, level on points with arch-rivals Arsenal.

Redknapp added: “Last year our home record was incredible. We only lost once here, to Everton, after I came. We are much better away from home now, but we are much stronger.

“We have strikers who can score goals now and we have Palacios in the middle of the field.”