Premier League: Jamie Redknapp says Tottenham Hotspur need to strengthen up front to compete for top four

Jamie Redknapp says Tottenham Hotspur need to strengthen their frontline if they are to compete for the top four in the Premier League this season.

Spurs suffered their first league defeat in over a month as they were beaten 2-1 by Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.

In-form striker Harry Kane gave Spurs the lead early in the second half but the hosts fought back with goals from Dwight Gayle and Jason Puncheon to ensure Alan Pardew enjoyed a winning start as Palace manager in the league.

While Redknapp was full of praise for Pardew and Palace, he told Saturday Night Football that Spurs need more options up front to compete for the Champions League places.

“I still feel they need another forward or two,” he said. “If you compare them to the other sides competing for the top four that’s where they are short in that area.

“I really fancied Tottenham to go there and win, they had the capability, the ammunition, all the players in great form….But they looked like they are still one or two short.”

Desire

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The win was Palace’s first in the league since November 23 and will give them a boost heading into the second half of the season, particularly as it was achieved without Mile Jedinak and Yannick Bolasie, both of whom are on international duty.

Redknapp says it was a ‘huge result’ for the Eagles and expects Selhurst Park to be a tricky place to go for the rest of the season.

“To go 1-0 down, without (Mile) Jedinak and (Yannick) Bolasie, and win that game is a huge result for that club and the manager,” he said. “You could see when he was walking off that he was delighted with that, there’s a bit of desire and appetite now and they have their tails up.

“It’s going to be a tough place to play now because you can tell Alan Pardew has got the confidence up straight away.”