• Redknapp claims Spurs can win Premier League title
• Manager disappointed to miss out on Joe Cole signing

Harry Redknapp believes Tottenham Hotspur have a realistic chance of challenging for the Premier League title this season.

The Spurs manager has added only the Brazilian midfielder Sandro Ranieri to his first-team squad but expects his side to build on last season’s fourth place.

“I feel we could contend for the title. We have got the players here,” he said. “We have to aim for it. We could win the championship.”

“Last year we went in saying we wanted to finish in the top four and if you don’t aim for things, you have no chance.”

Redknapp, whose Tottenham side play New York Red Bulls in the early hours of tomorrow morning, said he would have to strengthen his squad if they are to make a lasting impression in the Champions League this term.

Spurs are yet to seal a place in the tournament’s group stages, with a two-leg qualifier following shortly after their home match with Manchester City on 14 August.

“The Champions League is massive – forget budgets – we just want to be there,” Redknapp said. “If we can get into the group stages we can make an impact. We have good players – some fantastic ones at our club. And they can get better.

“We are going to have to rotate at times – we cannot play the best players all the time. I feel that, if we can bring one or two players in, it will make a difference.”

Redknapp said he is continuing to look to make high-profile signings despite missing out on Joe Cole, who has joined Liverpool.

“We are disappointed to miss out on Joe Cole because he was a great free transfer and he must have had a better offer from Liverpool.

“I spoke to him a month ago and I thought he was coming here. He wanted to come to Tottenham. He had made his mind up – I had no doubt about that. But a month went by and Liverpool moved in.”

Tottenham HotspurPremier LeagueJames Callowguardian.co.uk

Considering that Heurelho Gomes saved two Darren Bent penalties and Anton Ferdinand had a goal controversially disallowed it could have been even worse for Tottenham Hotspur.

On the sort of afternoon managers tend to, euphemistically, term a “bad day at the office” Harry Redknapp saw his side’s hopes of Champions League qualification dented by a Sunderland team sprinkled with former Spurs.

Transformed in the month since they were reminded that relegation would cost them 40% of their salaries, Steve Bruce’s players are suddenly resurgent and may yet achieve their target of finishing tenth. Certainly after forcing a relentlessly high tempo and never letting Tottenham settle on the ball they were worthy winners here.

Redknapp once claimed his wife Sandra was a better finisher than Darren Bent. That jibe stung but revenge proved sweet for the Sunderland striker as he jogged his old Tottenham manager’s memory with a first-minute opener.

When Gomes could merely parry Fraizer Campbell’s header following a corner the rebound fell to Bent. After gleefully lashing home his 21st Premier League goal of the season, he celebrated with the sort of abandon that suggested it had been a meaningful strike. Redknapp, meanwhile, sat perfectly still, his expression deadpan.

It got worse for Tottenham’s manager. When Steed Malbranque, once a Spur, unleashed a shot which Gomes could, again, only parry, Kyle Walker handled the rebound. Forward stepped Bent to take the penalty, squeezing his kick low into the bottom corner, despite the keeper diving the right way. Cue plenty of chest thumping on the scorer’s part – not to mention a triumphalist gesture in the direction of the visiting technical area.

Temporarily tiring of endless choruses of “Darren Bent for England,” the Sunderland fans serenaded Redknapp with “Champions League, you’re having a laugh”.

Trips to Barcelona, Bayern Munich et al certainly looked pretty elusive as Luka Modric bodychecked Campbell in the area and a second penalty was awarded. This time, though, Gomes not only guessed correctly but turned Bent’s rising kick around a post.

Redknapp endeavoured to make the most of this reprieve by re-jigging things at half time. Off went Benoit Assou-Ekotto and David Bentley and on came Jermain Defoe and Niko Kranjcar, in a re-vamp which saw Gareth Bale relocated to left back and Eidur Gudjohnsen dropping back into midfield.

Defoe, invigorated by sleeping in oxygen tent, sent a shot swerving wide but Sunderland won yet another penalty when Wilson Palacios brought David Meyler down in the box. Bent’s hat-trick was back on but Gomes read his mind once more and, having second guessed the ball’s direction, pushed it onto a post before saving on the line.

Bent barely had time to hang his head in shame before his team-mates upped the tempo again. Anton Ferdinand thought he had scored Sunderland’s third goal but, much to Bruce’s chagrin, the right-back’s fine finish was disallowed for a perceived foul on Gomes by Campbell in the build up.

Redknapp threw Peter Crouch on in Roman Pavlyuchenko’s stead and, almost instantly, the England striker dragged Spurs back into it. Connecting with Kranjcar’s looping cross, Crouch out-jumped everyone to direct a downward header past Craig Gordon.

Sunderland fans were disappointed when the excellent Malbranque was replaced by Bolo Zenden. Any complaints swiftly faded when Zenden brilliantly volleyed his team’s third goal after his left foot met Jordan Henderson’s cross.

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