Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry hailed Nigel Reo-Coker for the way he handled the West Ham boo-boys on Saturday.

Reo-Coker took abuse all afternoon from the visiting fans as he faced his former club for the first time since a £7.5million transfer from Upton Park this summer.

"I think Nigel has helped my game because we have a good understanding," he said. "His performances this season have shown he has been a good addition to the team and given us a balance.

"There is no reason why Nigel can't get in the England squad for Euro 2008 because I believe the manager has been watching him."

And Barry admitted the 1-0 win was particularly important to Reo-Coker, who was really pumped up for the clash with Alan Curbishley's men.

"We knew how much this game meant to Nigel," added Barry.

"He talked about his feelings when he left West Ham to come to us and he will have looked for this fixture.

"Three points for Nigel will have been a sweet moment for him."