Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe scored five times to send his side back into the Champions League places as Harry Redknapp's hammered Wigan 9-1 at White Hart Lane.

Paul Scharner appeared to handle when he grabbed Wigan's goal but Defoe was in such rampant form, with Aaron Lennon, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar grabbing the other goals, while Chris Kirkland recorded an unfortunate own-goal to complete the rout.

Crouch got the ball rolling when he headed home at the far post from a Lennon cross and Defoe doubled the lead after the break with a fine finish.

Defoe ran on to a fine ball from Wilson Palacios shortly after and finished well and then Lennon claimed a third assist when he fed Defoe to complete his hat-trick. Paul Scharner then reduced the arrears with a slammed finish after an apparent handball.

Lennon got a deserved goal to restore the three-goal lead a minute later and Defoe grabbed his fourth with a superb finish across Chris Kirkland to make it six.

Defoe grabbed his fifth with another cool finish before David Bentley's wicked free-kick rebounded off Kirkland and into the net after hitting the bar. And Kranjcar completed the scoring in added time with an emphatic shot.