Wales boss Chris Coleman confident referees will protect Gareth Bale

Wales coach Chris Coleman believes that this Friday's match officials will protect his star player Gareth Bale.

The Tottenham Hotspur winger is expected to be the main focal point for the Welsh outfit, who go up against Scotland in a World Cup qualifier tomorrow.

Earlier this week, Rangers defender John Brown urged the Scotland team to stop the 23-year-old by claiming that Bale "can't run without legs".

"If that's what's going to come, I'm quite sure the referee will be doing a good job," BBC Sport quotes Coleman as saying.

"If we have to play against 10 men or nine men, that's not our problem."

Bale helped his nation defeat Scotland in October by netting a brace to give Wales their only points of Group A.