Spurs camped in the Villa half for the second 45 minutes and only a string of fine saves from Brad Friedel kept them at bay before Dawson netted his first goal of the campaign.

Redknapp said: “Who knows what is going to happen with regards to the top four. Villa are going to be up there. The top two will probably be Chelsea and Manchester United, then will come Arsenal and Liverpool and then Manchester City, Villa and ourselves.

“One of us might break into the top four and it is not impossible for us to do it. It will be hard but we have got some very good players at this club.

“We have a lot of quality but not the sort of squad where 19 to 20-year-olds could come into the first team so it is the same group of people basically.”

Redknapp was delighted with the way his team responded in the second 45 minutes with Aaron Lennon causing more of a threat from the wing after a quiet opening half.

He said: “At half time we talked about keeping the ball better and being more patient and we dominated play after the break.

“Things went massively in our favour possession wise.

“In the first half it was hard for Aaron because people were marking him so closely and concentrating on stopping us from getting the ball to him.

“In the second half we told him to stay on the line more, gave him more of the ball, and he looked a threat.”

Dawson seized his opportunity with a fierce strike in the closing stages but Redknapp was also happy with his defensive qualities.

He said: “It was the first time that Michael and Sebastien Bassong have played together and they did well.

“We have two great players in Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King but they do get injuries and we need cover in those positions.”

Villa manager Martin O’Neill conceded Spurs deserved a share of the spoils after their second-half dominance.

He said: “We played very well in the first half and tried to close them down as quickly as we could.

“In the second half they got to grips with the midfield through their own good play but we also lost momentum and rhythm and couldn’t get out of defence quickly enough.

“But overall I was pleased with our defenders considering we had to change it around. Stephen Warnock was ill this morning and Luke Young had to go from right back to left back and did very well considering he was up against Aaron Lennon.”

O’Neill was also pleased with the finish from close range of Agbonlahor who has now netted eight times this season.

He said: “That sort of goal from two or three yards out is a typical goal scorers’ goal.

“You see people like Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen score that sort of goal so it was pleasing that he got the same sort. He is becoming more dangerous and getting better all the time.”