Tottenham Manager Harry Redknapp

After the Blackburn game on Saturday Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp challenged Roman Pavlyuchenko to fire the club into the Champions League.

Redknapp said: "It's amazing. He's scoring goals and technically he is a fantastic player and a terrific player. He has the appetite for the game - the transfer window came and went and he realised he wasn't going back to Russia. He knuckled down and is in top form.

"From the way he was playing and training, he wanted to go back to Russia, that was the message I was getting getting, but we didn't want to sell him.

"He's got his chance and is in the team. It's given me a nice problem. The amount of goals he's scored is fantastic for us. If he can continue to score it gives us every chance.

"He's working harder and putting a shift in. That's all I've ever asked of him."

Defoe opened the scoring against Rovers before Pavlyuchenko doubled the lead, then the Russia international sealed the win after Christopher Samba pulled a goal back.

Despite Pavlyuchenko's goals, Gareth Bale was given the man-of-the-match award for giving Spanish veteran Michel Salgado problems on the left flank.

"He's learning the game and growing up. He came here with a lot of hype and he's still young," Redknapp said.

"He's defended better at left-back and now he's moved to left midfield and has been equally good for me there. He has a fantastic future in front of him. He's top drawer."

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce was upset with Howard Webb for not awarding a penalty for Vedran Corluka's trip on David Dunn when the game was goalless.

Allardyce, who had to take off Paul Robinson with a torn calf muscle, said: "The David Dunn incident was a blatant penalty for me and at that time, with the game lying at 0-0, it would have made a whole different game.

"It's an easy decision because his right leg goes across him and there is no contact with the ball.

"It would have put pressure on Tottenham to come out and would have given us a real boost and something to hang onto. It was a big major decision that went against us."

Allardyce also felt Samba could have been awarded a penalty when Sebastien Bassong climbed on Samba, then he was puzzled why Nikola Kalinic had a goal chalked off.

Then Spurs had a penalty shout turned down when Bale appeared to be tripped by Salgado.

"He made contact, I went down and it should have been a penalty, but the referee thought otherwise," Bale said.

Redknapp added: "I don't seem to have any luck with Howard Webb. He's given decisions that have cost us games.

"He's rated as one of our best referees but I don't seem to get him on a good day."