Mourinho says Palace equaliser was just the jolt Spurs needed against 'overwhelmed' Eagles

Jose Mourinho reckons conceding just before half-time brought out the best in his team, as they swept to a handsome 4-1 victory over Palace.

Harry Kane and Gareth Bale were in irresistible form and both netted twice in what turned out to be a runaway win which keeps Spurs very much in the hunt for a Champions League slot.

They reached the milestone of 100 goals for the season with their fourth and now have the second best home record in the Premier League.

"It looks silly to say but I'm happy with the goal we conceded," said Mourinho after his team's resounding Sunday night win.

"My feeling in the 10 minutes of the first half was that if we finished 1-0 then maybe we would start the second half the same way.

"We lost a little bit of the hunger and desire to attack. We were too passive, we were in control. We made one mistake and conceded a goal. So I had a positive feeling when we conceded.

"In the second half we had to go with everything. Then it was the feeling that a one-goal difference is not enough, and then we made it 2-1 and went for 3-1 immediately after.

"I was happy with the attitude, the feeling and naughty smile of scoring 100 goals in the season and we are a defensive team. It was a good week for us - three matches, nine points, no injuries and everyone is coming back. We are in a positive moment.

"They were good goals. Harry Kane's first one was magnificent. We played good football."

Eagles counterpart Roy Hodgson admitted his team were outclassed at times.

"I'm not good at taking positives from a game when I have seen the team lose by four goals to one," he said. "I thought we were heavily punished by the quality of the goals and some of the quality of play in the final third.

"I think on another day we may not have been punished quite as harshly. And also with some of the play in the second half we might have added to the goal we scored, which was a good goal.

"I thought we came across a Tottenham team tonight that is in fine form. They had all their star players and their really good quality players firing on all cylinders. As a result they overwhelmed us at times and won the game as a result of it."