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Sherwood gives players a 'stage'

Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood says striker Emmanuel Adebayor deserves the credit for his recent form and not him.

Sherwood has restored the 29-year-old to the Spurs first-team and been rewarded with six goals in eight games, with two coming at Swansea on Sunday.

"I can't take the credit for him, Emmanuel Adebayor has to take the credit," said Sherwood.

In-form Adebayor Emmanuel Adebayor has now matched his Premier League goal total from last season (in seven appearances this season compared to 25 in 2012-13). Source: Opta

"I have just given him the stage to go and perform. It's not as if he was never a good player."

Two goals from the Togo player and an own goal from Chico Flores helped Spurs claim a 3-1 win at Swansea, who scored a late consolation through Wilfried Bony.

Adebayor made just one substitute outing this season under ex-Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas but came back into favour when Sherwood took charge of the club in December.

"He has always been a fantastic player," added Sherwood. "Everywhere he has been he has scored goals.

"He is enjoying his football at the moment and we are all reaping the rewards from it."

The victory over Swansea gave Spurs a fifth away league win in succession, the first time they have achieved such a run since 1960.

It also puts the White Hart Lane club fifth and level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, who have a superior goal difference in the chase for a top-four slot and qualification for the Champions League.

"No-one seems to be dropping points in and around us," said Sherwood.

"It is tough and is going to go right to the wire.

"We are going to have some tough games ahead and some ups and downs but, hopefully, we can have more ups than the teams ahead of us."