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Tottenham blazed to a 9-1 win over Wigan at White Hart Lane here on Sunday with Jermain Defoe netting a five-timer in Spurs’ highest scoring topflight win.

All Defoe’s goals came in the second half, the England striker scoring in the 51st, 54th, 58th, 69th and 87th minutes.

His England teammate Peter Crouch had opened the floodgates with a ninth minute opener, with Chris Kirkland’s 88th minute own goal and Niko Kranjcar’s contribution in the fourth minute of injury time completing the rout.

Paul Scharner’s goal for Wigan in the 57th minute prevented Tottenham matching Manchester United’s Premier League record 9-0 thrashing of Ipswich at Old Trafford in 1995.

Defoe joined a select club of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole of players to have scored five goals in one Premier League game.

Freescoring Tottenham regained fourth spot, provisionally taken by Aston Villa who had drawn 1-1 with Burnley on Saturday, while Defoe leapfrogged to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts on 11 goals.

Wigan, in 15th place, now have a goal difference of -17, the worst in the table.

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