Tottenham boss Villas-Boas hails hat-trick hero Gareth Bale

Bale was the undoubted star of the show at Villa Park, twice going close to netting in a goalless first half and then, after Jermain Defoe had given Spurs the lead in the 57th minute, beating goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the 61st, 73rd and 84th to give the scoreline a look that more accurately reflected the visitors' dominance throughout the contest.

Asked if there were any better players in world football than Bale, Villas-Boas said: "He is up there with the best. He is showing tremendous skills and talent, I think he is improving every day - he is such a young player - and he is helping the team. He is one of our major assets."

He added: "His personality is wonderful, he is going through an excellent moment of his professional and personal life, and we are benefiting from that."

Asked if he thought Bale could get even better, Villas-Boas said: "I think so. You always expect that the team can make an individual even better.

"The team changes so much from one year to another, and as he keeps learning, he will feel even better and probably his performances will improve. His finishing is very accurate. He has been prolific in front of goal this season and I think he is enjoying getting into those positions.

"His left foot is wonderful and the power and direction he applies on the ball is wonderful too."

Villa boss Paul Lambert - whose team are 16th in the table, three points above the relegation zone - felt there had been a foul on his midfielder Fabian Delph in the build-up to the first goal.

Reflecting on the game, Lambert said: "We rode our luck massively in the first half - Spurs were very good in the first half. I thought we started the second half really well and were in the ascendancy, and I think with the first goal, there is a foul on Fabian in the first place - I think a free-kick should have been given.

"With the second goal we had a good chance to make it 1-1, but they go up the other end of the park and score again. That is what can happen when you are playing against these types of players."

Source: PA

Source: PA