Emmanuel Adebayor has claimed the Tottenham Hotspur were rewarded for their persistence during Sunday's 2-1 win at Stoke City in the Premier League.

The Togo striker netted seven minutes from time at the Britannia Stadium as Spurs came from behind to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive.

"It was an important game and we all knew we had to come here and win," Adebayor told the club's official website. "Stoke scored an early goal and it was important to keep our belief.

"If we kept passing the ball around, we knew they would tire, that's what happened and we got our reward in the end."

The victory has seen Spurs move up into fourth place in the table, two points clear of Arsenal but having played a game more than their local rivals.