Berbatov highlights finer side to Spurs

Tottenham 6 Reading 4:Dimitar Berbatov cannot switch off. Like many members of his profession he has grown accustomed to replaying over and over the key moments of the match he has just played. Saturday night offered him quite the highlights package and the Tottenham striker could have been forgiven for glorying in his exploits. Yet the four goals he scored to help his team win a game that evoked memories of the schoolyard were not at the forefront of his mind.

"In the end we must look over the mistakes we made and the goals we allowed to be scored against us," he said. "We conceded easy goals from free-kicks and corners and that's not good because we keep doing that in every game. We've shown our qualities many times but we also show how bad we can be sometimes. We must cut that out.

"I go home and keep running the game over in my head, thinking about what I and the team can do better. I hope everybody does this because that's the way to improve."

Exasperation courses through Berbatov these days. His body language has not been the same since his hopes were raised in August of a transfer to Manchester United only to be dashed when Tottenham dug their heels in. The Bulgarian moved to White Hart Lane the previous summer, from Bayer Leverkusen, and he quickly became a fans' favourite. His languid brilliance carried shades of Glenn Hoddle and his 23 goals confirmed him as the club's player of the season.

But the smile has flickered less and he has become prone to berating his team-mates. Berbatov always saw Tottenham as a potential stepping stone to England's so-called big four and the suspicion persists that he feels he has outgrown the club. The winter transfer window is ready to open and, while it would be a surprise if Berbatov were to be tempted away in mid-season, Juande Ramos remained pragmatic.

"We all want to keep him but you also have to take into account the opinion of the player and evaluate other situations," said the manager. "In football everything is open and anything can happen. We want Berbatov to stay, our intention is that and we think he will. But I don't give assurances for (Paul) Robinson, (Robbie) Keane or any other player. Football is an open market in January, when any player has a chance of changing teams if there is an offer, so I cannot give assurances."

Berbatov has attracted closer attention from opposition defenders this season and his frustration has not only been with his team-mates. The perfectionist can be just as tough on himself, in moments when his spell on the ball has been broken.

He admitted that Saturday's shootout was more enjoyable for the supporters and Ramos was only half-smiling afterwards when he said he hoped "not to have a heart attack. The truth is you suffer." The urgent task for Ramos is to stem the flow of goals from set-pieces. Hearts would enter mouths every time the team conceded a corner under his predecessor Martin Jol and the old failings remained for all to see.

After Paul Robinson had punched a free-kick unconvincingly for Kalifa Cisse to return with interest from the edge of the area, Tom Huddlestone did not track Ivar Ingimarsson from one corner and Dave Kitson was allowed to wander to the near post and flick home from another.

"My family were in one of the boxes and I could see them all going absolutely mad when I scored the header," said Kitson, who hails from Tottenham territory. "My second goal should have been the winner. It's saved me a beating from some friends, though, so that's something."

Ramos went to three at the back on the hour, not for the first time when his team have trailed, and the fireworks started. Berbatov's second goal was the prompt for seven in 20 minutes.

"Every time we went forward I thought we were going to score and I'm sure the Spurs lads would say the same," said Kitson. "Premier League football should not be like that. For my second goal, (Stephen) Hunt played me through and there was nobody there. It was just absolutely crazy. I was thinking 'where is everyone?' I'm sure that's what Berbatov was thinking as well."

Reading were furious that Jermain Defoe had encroached on Keane's penalty, which he nodded home for Tottenham's fifth after Marcus Hahnemann had parried; Kevin Dillon, the assistant manager, was sent off by the fourth official for complaining. Yet it was fitting that Berbatov should have the final say.

"I feel a bit of an idiot because I said after the Portsmouth game (when Reading lost 7-4 in September), 'That only happens once in a blue moon,'" said Kitson. "It must be a blue moon again."

The teams meet again next Saturday in the FA Cup.

The Bulgarian marked his first hat-trick for the club by going one better. Berbatov, who struck three times in 20 minutes of a riotous second half, managed to exploit the space afforded to him by a slack Reading defence.