Parker: We can still win title

Parker: We can still win title

Published Jan. 16, 2012 12:15 a.m. ET

And Parker has warned leaders Manchester City that Spurs will be looking to bounce back in style by grabbing all three points in next Sunday's showdown between the two sides at the Etihad Stadium.

Tottenham blew the chance to move joint top of the Premier League on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mick McCarthy's strugglers.

Harry Redknapp's side looked anything but champions in the making in the first half as their sloppy passing and lax defending allowed the struggling Midlanders to take the lead with Steven Fletcher's ninth goal of the season.

Spurs rallied and equalised through Luka Modric's 20-yard strike, but they lacked the cutting edge to find another breakthrough in a performance that will do little to silence the doubters who claim their title aspirations are no more than a pipedream.

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Tottenham's title credentials will come under the microscope again next Sunday when they travel to the league leaders in their hardest game of the season so far, but Parker shrugged off worries that Saturday's draw shows his team do not have the mettle to go all the way this year, and is confident of an improved performance at City.

"I think we can still win the title, definitely," Parker said. "We need to believe that we can win every game and then see where that puts us.

"We have to enjoy this moment and obviously be happy where we are, keep enjoying it and get the best results.

"We will quickly dust ourselves down from this game and we will go to Man City looking forward to it and hopefully get the three points.

"It's a big game and I am sure we will come out on the front foot looking to win."

The fluent, attacking football which Spurs have demonstrated many a time this year was absent on Saturday and their shooting was wayward, with Wolves stopper Wayne Hennessey troubled just twice in the second half from shots by Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon.

They were unlucky to go behind, however, as replays showed the Matt Jarvis corner which led to Fletcher's opener should not have been given as Kyle Walker did not touch the ball as it ran out of play beforehand.

Spurs were also disappointed that Emmanuel Adebayor had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half despite a covering defender appearing to play the Togo striker on.

"I spoke to Kyle Walker and he said it wasn't a corner," Tottenham captain Michael Dawson said.

"He could have kicked the ball out for a throw-in, but he shepherded it out.

"I looked at Adebayor's (goal) and was disappointed. He was onside. The rub of the green wasn't with us."

Wolves, who have not won a league game since December 4 were delighted to grab an unexpected point, but had a few gripes of their own over referee Mike Jones' performance.

"I don't think the decisions went for us. Some of them were the same old problem," Wolves captain Roger Johnson said.

"It was the same when we went to Arsenal. When you are playing a top four side at their ground, you expect it.

"The fans get on and for some reason - I don't know why - refs always seem to listen to it."

McCarthy's future has been put in doubt by Wolves' recent poor form, with owner Steve Morgan branding this season's displays "unacceptable".

Johnson was pleased to earn a point for his manager and insists McCarthy has the backing of the entire Wolves squad.

"It's nice to [do well] for the manager," he said. "We are where we are because of the players, not the manager.

"You can't sack a whole football team. Unfortunately it comes down to one man and that's the manager.

"We want to show that we are backing the manager, which everyone of the lads is, and it was a good performance. We are happy with a point. We could have got all three."

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