SPURS boss Harry Redknapp stressed the importance of bagging maximum league points after the Lilywhites frustrating loss to Everton at White Hart Lane on Sunday. The sub-standard defeat was Redknapp s first home loss since taking over from Juande Ramos i

SPURS boss Harry Redknapp stressed the importance of bagging maximum league points after the Lilywhites frustrating loss to Everton at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

The sub-standard defeat was Redknapp's first home loss since taking over from Juande Ramos in late October and leaves Tottenham slumped in 16th place, despite the new gaffer's whirlwind start.

The Lilywhites won five and drew one of their first six games in all competitions under Redknapp's guidance but the new manager insists league points are the season's focal point.

"League points are all-important to us," Redknapp said after Sunday's maddening 1-0 loss to the Toffees.

"I've said that all again, he continued. "League position is vital and today I felt that that if we got the result we could have really lifted ourselves way out of there at the bottom.

"But if you're not going to win, then you try not to get beat.

"You don't go and give a free kick away like we did and then all turn our back on the ball and all stand there and all let them play a little short one. [Because next] it's in the back of the net and half of us aren't even looking at the ball.

And the talismanic manager - who took over at the Lane after guiding Portsmouth, his former club, to FA Cup success last season - is in no doubt that his men must remain focussed on this season's pressure-cooker Premier League table.

"You can't take your eye off it [the league table] Redknapp said.

"It is so tight down there, everybody is having a go and picking up points.

"We have some tough games coming up [and] we've had some tough games.

"But luckily enough we have picked up 13 points from seven games -

nearly two points a game - [and] without that we would have been bang in trouble so it is lucky we have had a fantastic run.

"I think when you have the start with we did with two points from eight games its different. When you're up there and you have a good start you can lose a few games and you're still up there.

"[But} when you're down there [and] you lose a game, you can win a couple, lose one and you're back down there again, that's how it is when you're stuck down there.

"It's very hard to get out, you need a good run. We've had a good run, we've taken nearly two points a game.

"Long term the most important thing for this club is the Premier League. That's the most important thing by far.