Hutton made a dream comeback in what was his first Spurs appearance since January yesterday, coming off the bench and winning the equalising penalty before scoring his first goal for the club to seal a 3-1 victory.

The 25-year-old's White Hart Lane career looked to be under real threat last season when he was allowed to join Sunderland on loan.

The Black Cats also tried to make the move permanent but failed to meet Spurs' valuation of the Scotland international, who cost a reported £9million from Rangers in January 2008.

Hutton's time in north London has been blighted by a succession of serious injuries, while he was also implicated in the infamous 'Boozegate' affair while playing for Scotland 18 months ago.

But Tottenham boss Redknapp has assured him he still has a big future at the club if he reproduces yesterday's attacking performance and improves his game defensively.

"It the kind of form he's capable of," Redknapp enthused. "I spoke to him during the week and he's a great attacking full-back.

"I said to him he needs to concentrate a little bit more defensively and, if he does that, he's got everything.

"He's a great athlete; when he gets forward, he's got unbelievable pace. He's aggressive, he's quick, it's all there.

"It's up to him to push on now. Let's hope he continues to do that."

Hutton will be handed another chance to impress in Tuesday night's Carling Cup tie against Arsenal, with right-back rivals Vedran Corluka (back) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) both now injured.

William Gallas will be rested after suffering cramp against Wolves, as will captain Ledley King, with Sebastien Bassong a definite starter.

Niko Kranjcar, Wilson Palacios, Roman Pavyluchenko and new signing Sandro will also be given much-needed game time.

"I'll make a lot of changes," Redknapp said.

"Lads like Kranjcar, they need to play. Palacio: he needs to play. Sandro, the Brazilian boy, needs to play. Pav can play again; Pav needs to play."

Yesterday's win propelled Spurs up to fourth place after almost every other result went their way.

But it could so easily have been another Champions League hangover following the defeat to Wigan in their last home game.

Wolves led until the 77th minute after Steven Fletcher scored completely against the run of play but Hutton won the penalty which was converted by Rafael van der Vaart, Pavyluchenko scored a late second, before Hutton was gifted a comical third in stoppage-time.

Reflecting on his side's start to the season, Redknapp said: "If we haven't had lost to Wigan, it would have been a great start.

"We'd be sitting here now with 11 points. We're fourth anyway.

"We had a decent draw with Man City, a hard-fought game that we could've won. We went to West Brom and got a decent point, went to Stoke and won.

"The Wigan one was the only real downer, but that happens."

But Redknapp was reading nothing into being in a Champions League spot so early in the campaign.

"It's just nice to keep picking up points and see where it takes you," he said. "It's all you can do, keep winning games."

Opposite number Mick McCarthy shrugged off his own side's current status, the result of them having thrown away leads in their last three matches.

He said: "It's fabulous, isn't it, that we've been in front for three games? Fantastic.

"I think it's a real plus that we've scored away from home on two occasions.

"So you can either have it half full or half empty. Mine's half full.

"I think it's fabulous that we come to Spurs and taken a 1-0 lead.

"Disappointed we lost but then they are Champions League, aren't they?"