'It's not about style, it's about fight and passion'

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Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker says Tottenham showed the "fight and passion" needed to avoid relegation in Sunday's vital 2-1 win at Aston Villa.

Spurs moved out of the Premier League relegation zone with an impressive victory against a heavily-rotated and below-par Villa side.

"Aston Villa were poor but I don't want to take anything away from Tottenham," Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They came in and turned up. It's not their fault that Villa rotated their team.

"Spurs fought, they scrapped, they are really showing the fighting spirit needed when you are in a relegation battle.

"I have to give them credit because they put in the type of performance they absolutely needed to put in.

"They did what they had to do in a relegation fight to get a vital three points, and it is what they are going to have to show now for every single game for the rest of the season.

"It's a performance they needed and one that will give them a belief they would not have had a few weeks ago. It's not about style, it's about fight and passion. Villa were poor but they did what they had to do.

"Now there is a bit of momentum. They now feel they can get out of it but they have got to go and do it again."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds