Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits it will be “tough” to overhaul rivals Arsenal to claim third place in the Barclays Premier League after the 2-1 home defeat by Norwich dented their Champions League ambitions.

The industrious Canaries – who are now all but guaranteed top flight survival with 43 points, perched in ninth place – went ahead on Monday through Anthony Pilkington on 13 minutes and were then denied what looked a clear penalty for a foul by Ledley King on Grant Holt after which Spurs levelled through a well taken effort from Jermaine Defoe.

The expected second half onslaught, however, failed to materialise as the Norfolk side went on to claim all three points through a 20-metre strike from winger Elliott Bennett.

It could prove a costly defeat for Spurs, who not so long ago looked set to mount a serious title challenge, but now have seen first Arsenal overtake them back up into third, while Newcastle are level on a points total which could be matched by Chelsea later this evening.

Redknapp, however, insists all is not yet lost as they look to secure a return to elite European football.

He said: “We have not been in bad form the last few weeks, but today was a setback. We had a bad day.

“We were a bit flat. I thought their front two, especially Grant Holt, bullied us a bit.”

Redknapp added: “It is all still to play for though.

“It is going to be close, but there are still five games to go. It is the team who wants it most.

“We would settle for finishing fourth, Champions League football is the key.

“It would be lovely to finish above Arsenal, but that is going to be tough know.

“It is still all to play for – Chelsea have to play Arsenal, Newcastle have to play Chelsea, Chelsea have to play Liverpool away, so who knows?”

Redknapp defended his team selection, with midfielder Scott Parker rested to protect against hamstring injury, but admitted his team had been outmuscled by Paul Lambert’s hard working side.

“We get hold of the ball more when we played 4-3-3, I think we control the ball more, but one or two didn’t look quite right today. I thought we struggled a bit in certain areas,” he said.

“Holt held the ball up, got his body in the way, right from the first whistle.

“We couldn’t handle them. they worked their socks off, I thought they were ever so good.

“But we had some great chances – and Gareth Bale hit the bar.

“There were chances at both ends, though, it was too open, from our point of view, really.”

Lambert was full of praise for his side, many of whom have come up from npower League One in successive promotions.

“It was the best performance in the three years I’ve been here, that is the magnitude of it. I thought we were brilliant, right from the off,” said the Scot, who took charge at Carrow Road in August 2009.

“If you sit back and analyse it, it is ridiculous what has happened here.

“The club was close to folding, you inherit a group of lads you are not sure are good enough to get out of League One. It has been three year building.

“To beat Tottenham in their own back yard is incredible for us, but the performance was right up there.”

Norwich keeper John Ruddy produced a brilliant save to deny Benoit Assou-Ekotto when the scores were still level.

Lambert sees no reason why the former Everton stopper and several of his other hard working team should not earn international recognition.

“Ruddy has been playing like that for two years. He’s on top of his game,” said Lambert.

“People are going to clamour for him with England, but you could do a lot worse than look at him, the way he is playing and with the workrate he has got.”

The Norwich boss continued: “On merit and the way the team are playing, maybe people should look at them [for international call-ups].

“I don’t want people to dismiss them as being at ‘little old Norwich’. They have earned the right to make a name for themselves.”

The Canaries manager, however, was less than impressed by the decisions of referee Michael Oliver.

“That tackle wouldn’t have looked out of place at Murrayfield,” said Lambert of King’s foul on Holt.

“How he has missed that, I don’t know. Everyone in the ground saw that. It is bizarre.”