Venue: Liberty Stadium Date: Saturday, 14 March Kick-off: 1500 GMT Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Wales SW FM, live text commentary online and score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live
Alan Tate has played more than 200 games for Swansea City
Roberto Martinez has praised Alan Tate's "winners' mentality" as the Swansea City defender has been transformed from outcast to captain.
The 26-year-old is ready to continue as stand-in skipper for their Championship match with Crystal Palace if Garry Monk fails to recover from a back injury.
Tate admits he had "too much body fat" on his return from last summer and "did not deserve" to start the season.
But Martinez said: "Alan has the attitude and mentality of a winner."
Tate, who has been with Swansea since their days in the bottom division, did not play in the Championship until October and the fans favourite has already 'held his hands up' to returning to pre-season with 'too much body fat.'
"No one else was to blame and I'm big enough to accept that," the former Manchester United trainee said earlier this season.
But long-serving Tate, Swansea's 2005/06 Player of the Year, has enjoyed a revival since his early season disappointment and his professionalism has been acknowledged by Martinez.
Alan creates high standards that the youngsters can look up to, he wants to win games regularly and play at the top level
Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez
And the Swansea manager insisted Tate's honesty and positive reaction to being dropped makes him a role model to the club's younger players.
"I'm delighted with Alan's attitude," Martinez told BBC Sport.
"He is a clear example of what Swansea City Football Club is about, Alan knows the reason why he didn't start this season and that is important.
"I haven't been surprised by Alan's reaction as I know him inside out, he is a fighter and a winner who wants to make up for lost time.
"He wants to play as often as he can - and not go through the motions, he wants to affect things on the pitch.
"In football the player makes his own decisions, nothing comes easy.
"You have two options; you either fight for it and show you're a winner or move on and find the easy way out.
"We have not got any characters who find the easy way out at this football club.
"We set high standards and not just in games but in training. Strong characters select themselves and Alan is one of them.
"But it is not just this season that Alan has performed for Swansea City, he has done it season after season since coming from Manchester United.
"He creates high standards that the youngsters can look up to, he wants to win games regularly and play at the top level.
"Nothing fazes him and now he must make sure he maintains his standards."
Tate, who swapped Old Trafford for Swansea in 2004 after a successful loan spell, has worn the captain's armband while regular skipper Monk for the last three games as the centre-back has been suffering with a back problem.
Monk is rated as "50/50" by Martinez for a return against Palace at The Liberty Stadium on Saturday.
Play-off chasing Swansea, one place and one point outside the top six, have suffered just one win in 19 Championship games while Palace, who have never won in Swansea, have won just twice in the league since Christmas.
Selhurst Park boss Neil Warnock has already started planning for next season as Palace are 11 points outside the play-off zone in 14th place.
But Martinez warned: "Sometimes teams are at their most dangerous when they've nothing to play for, they play with a freedom and their shackles are off.
"When teams have the freedom to express themselves and aren't worried about making mistakes, that makes them very dangerous.
"There are certain we need to do better and that comes with experience of our first season in the Championship but our footballing philosophies will not change."
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Alan creates high standards that the youngsters can look up to, he wants to win games regularly and play at the top level
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