Michael Dawson warns England against threat of Gareth Bale

Posted Thursday, March 17, 2011 by theguardian.com

• He is back in training and flying, says Spurs defender
• Winger likely to play in Saturday's derby with West Ham

Michael Dawson warns England against threat of Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale is fit again and 'unstoppable' according to his Spurs team-mate Michael Dawson.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson has warned his England team-mates that Gareth Bale is back to his "unstoppable" best.

Bale, who is likely to play for Wales against England in next week's Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff, has made only two substitute appearances since picking up a back injury against Newcastle two months ago, but is now back in full training and may start Saturday's derby against West Ham United.

Dawson has watched Bale's rise to prominence on football's European stage at close hand this year, with the 21-year-old impressing with a hat-trick at Internazionale in October before going on to embarrass the full-back Maicon in the reverse fixture the following month.

Dawson's excellent performances at the heart of the Spurs defence mean he is likely to get a call-up from Fabio Capello for the game in Wales a week on Saturday, with Bale sure to play for the opposition if he is fully fit.

Capello rates Bale as the best left-winger in the world and Dawson believes England will find it hard to shackle the former Southampton player. "How do you stop Gareth Bale? That's a good question," Dawson told Spurs TV Online. "If I am in the England squad, people will be asking me how.

"It's very hard to stop Gaz. Sometimes he is just unstoppable. Many a team have tried this season. Before his back injury, he was flying. He's back in full training now and he is certainly looking like he was before he left so hopefully we will see the best of him against West Ham and not against England."

Spurs will move level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea if they win on Saturday, as Manchester City, who are third visit Stamford Bridge the following day.

Harry Redknapp's side have slipped behind in their hunt for a Champions League place recently after losing at Blackpool and drawing at Wolves.

Dawson, who is likely to be paired with Ledley King on Saturday if William Gallas is not available after injuring a hamstring in training, is desperate for Spurs to remove the gap that separates his team from Chelsea.

"Our aim is to finish fourth," Dawson said. "Each and every game is now like a cup final for us because we need to get the points on the board and hopefully we will be playing in the Champions League next year."

The club announced today that Jonathan Obika has been recalled two months early from his loan spell at Swindon Town while the forward Simon Dawkins has joined Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes until the end of December.