Berbatov is not 'four' sale, says Levy

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A mind-boggling 51 goals have been scored down Bill Nicholson Way this season, 18 more than at Everton, the next highest, and 21 more than at Arsenal. Unfortunately Spurs' home for and against columns (30-21) are too close together.

So, if it's goals you want, Tottenham is your destination. Eight of the goals in this match were scored in a whirlwind 30 minutes of mayhem: Reading leading three times, Spurs equalising each time before scoring two late goals. Almost all of them came gift-wrapped from flailing goalkeepers or leaden-footed defenders and if it was slapstick at times, nobody filing out of the ground could claim they had not been entertained.

Tottenham's season is more likely to be defined in the boardroom than on the pitch as the directors steel themselves for a task far more onerous than defeating Reading's kamikaze defenders.

This was a field day for Dimitar Berbatov, who has given chairman Daniel Levy plenty to contemplate. Berbatov tickled his CV with four goals just before the transfer window and indications are that his hitherto itchy feet are ready for walking.

Four sweetly taken goals were further attractions for admiring suitors and Berbatov heated the speculation by quickly terminating any conversation that involved his plans. Manager Juande Ramos did little to ease the concerns of the Spurs fans, who know the club is sitting on a diamond of high carat.

Asked for an assurance that the elegant Bulgarian will be staying at the club, Ramos said: "In football anything is open and anything can happen. We want him to stay and that is our intention. We think he will. As for assurances, I don't do that, as I can't for Robinson, Keane or any other footballer. Football is an open market in January where any player has the chance of changing teams. The situation is that he is not for sale and we don't want to sell him. He is with us at the moment and there is no offer on the table for him to leave."

His view was supported by Levy, who issued a statement on the club's website, clearly aimed at Berbatov, who signed a new deal last summer. "Once again for the record, we are not a selling club, rather we are building for the future. When we have players on long contracts we have no need to entertain offers," said Levy.

What concerned the striker is why Spurs needed to score six goals against a middle-of-the-road club to win. He said: "We won the game but we have to look over our mistakes and the goals we allowed to be scored against us. It's OK for the fans that we scored so many goals but we must look at their goals and correct them.

"We conceded easy goals from freekicks and corners and that's not good because we keep doing that in every game."

He admitted that it must have been like watching a kids' Sunday morning game for the fans, but added: "It was not as easy to play in as it looked from the outside. Your job as a striker is to score goals. Fortunately, I scored four with the help of my team-mates and I'm grateful for that.

"If we cut out the mistakes then we can go a long way. If you don't make mistakes the other team can't score goals. If you make mistakes it means the game is entertaining but, for me, I'll go home now, watch it again and correct my mistakes."

It is that kind of attention to detail that makes Berbatov such an asset, but for poor Ibrahima Sonko it was an afternoon of purgatory. You almost felt sorry for the Reading defender as Berbatov glided by him like a limousine overtaking a lorry, although Sonko was hardly alone in a catalogue of comical defending on both sides.

It all left Reading manager Steve Coppell barely able to keep a cap on his anger at mistakes from his players and at the officials who failed to see Jermain Defoe encroach at Robbie Keane's penalty to put away the rebound when Marcus Hahnemann saved the spot-kick.

"Our defending is a bit Jekyll and Hyde,' complained Coppell. 'It's not consistent. If it was like that every week we would have to change but some games they are strong and connected. Today we paid the price.

"If I knew what the problem was, I'd do something about it. This is a difficult league and when you face top players every week the team collectively has to be on top of their game. When they are not, we get caught.

"When you have been in front three times and lose, it is a hollow feeling. You feel there is something missing in your life. We had great opportunities when they went three at the back, but you shouldn't go away from home and have to score six to get a result.

"I get paid to win games. I feel bad. I feel for the players because we have played a huge part in a game that for the impartial has been magnificent entertainment — 10 goals that could have been 15."

Spurs finished fifth last season and at present are well adrift of that position. But Berbatov, at least, has hopes of emulating the finish.

He said: "It's going to be very difficult, but we're going to give it a try. Everything is possible so we're going to fight and see what will happen."

What every Spurs fan wants to know is: how long will he be around to help?