Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker believes he has found out how to stop high-flying team-mate Gareth Bale.
The 23-year-old winger has been in scintillating form for Tottenham this season, scoring 21 goals to lead Andre Villas-Boas' side to third in the league and into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
While Walker believes he has worked out how to prevent the fleet-footed forward from scoring after countless training sessions opposite him, the 22-year-old full-back feels Bale is a natural choice to be crowned Player of the Year.
"So what's the secret of stopping Gareth Bale? I think I've discovered it, but I'm not telling anybody because I want him to keep doing well for Tottenham," Walker told The Sun.
"With me being a right-back and him being on the left, I often end up marking him in training. I don't mind a bit. It's not as one-sided as people might think.
"I've probably played against him the most – more than any other player in the world.
"Sometimes he wins the battle and sometimes I do. I would say it's 50-50. When you've faced someone a couple of hundred times you end up finding the ways to beat him.
"And I'm sure he now knows the best way to beat me."
Bale is a hot favourite to sweep up individual awards after a great run of form this season and Walker believes the winger deserves trophies for his temperament as much as his talent.
"It's got to be Bale, hasn't it (for Player of the Year)?" he said.
"Not only is he a great guy off the pitch but he's a superb all-round player on it. When you see him day in, day out and how he conducts himself, you realise he is a true professional.
"And what people don't realise now is that Gaz this season has become more of a leader on the pitch. We are looking to him to give us encouragement and spur us on."
