English FA Premiership/ Tottenham 3 Wigan Athletic 1:Everywhere Dimitar Berbatov goes at the moment he departs to rapturous applause. Cheered off by both sets of fans after scoring Tottenham's winner against his former club Bayer Leverkusen last Thursday, the striker strolled down the tunnel to more deserved acclaim yesterday.

By getting one goal and setting up two others, he played a major part in Spurs' recovery from a goal behind to secure a merited victory.

If there were times early on when Berbatov looked less assured than usual and appeared to be on a different wavelength from some team-mates, his contribution was excellent from the moment he set up Jermain Defoe to equalise.

Within 90 seconds he put Tottenham ahead with a fine finish and his touch and movement stood out even before his strong run and cross enabled Aaron Lennon to put the result beyond doubt. Astute in moving into wide areas, he was a periodic threat down the flanks.

Given that Berbatov cost £10.9 million, Tottenham were entitled to expect a decent return but a pleasing aspect yesterday for his club was evidence that the Bulgarian's adaptation to the Premiership is coming along apace. His previous four goals had come in the Uefa Cup and this was his first in the league since the second game of the season against Sheffield United.

Scoring sufficiently away in the Premiership has been a problem for Tottenham, and Martin Jol needs Berbatov and others to be as sharp on their travels from now on. That starts at Arsenal on Saturday and the head coach has to decide whether to stick with Berbatov and Defoe as his strikers. This was the fifth time in a row he has changed his front two.

There were times here when Defoe wasted the ball, and he might have made more of two second-half openings, but he took his goal well and had lively moments. Jol emphasised afterwards that no one was guaranteed a place. "They have to push me every training session, every week," he said of his forwards. "I want them eager all the time."

Berbatov's most regular partner has been Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane, who showed the eagerness Jol wants by coming off the bench here and curling a shot narrowly wide.

"Their attitude is immaculate," Jol reflected, though his resources up front for the time being are not, Mido having sustained a groin injury in training that will sideline him for about a fortnight.

Tottenham made a slow start and deserved to fall behind, and the patchiness of their first-half passing was camouflaged by two goals in quick succession that changed the game. Wigan deserved to go ahead, having played the more joined-up football to begin with. Tottenham failed to close down David Wright and from his cross Lee McCulloch got above Pascal Chimbonda to head into the path of the unmarked Henri Camara, who sent a perfect dipping shot beyond Paul Robinson.

Although Steed Malbranque and Defoe almost immediately drew sharp saves from Chris Kirkland, most of Tottenham's play remained disjointed until the equaliser. Berbatov picked out Defoe who spun past Emmerson Boyce and finished sharply with his left foot.

Wigan, whose balance had been affected by a hamstring injury that forced off Gary Teale, were soon behind. A pass by the solid Benoit Assou-Ekotto found Berbatov near the left edge of the penalty area and the striker beat Matt Jackson and curled the ball into the top corner.

"I felt they had run out of ideas a little bit," said Wigan manager Paul Jewell, "and then scored two in a minute and it changed the complexion of the game."

Tottenham dominated the second half, with Lennon quick and clever, and Didier Zokora catching the eye with strong runs in midfield, but there were only occasional chances. Wigan, though, never seriously looked like equalising and the visitors' first defeat in six games was confirmed when Berbatov skipped down the left and left Lennon with a tap-in.

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