Joel Ward has had to try and keep the likes of Eden Hazard, Sadio Mane and Luis Suarez quiet, but a surprise name stands out as his toughest opponent.

The Crystal Palace right-back has more than 300 Premier League appearances to his name, meaning he’s come up against his fair share of electric forwards.

Joel Ward has had to defend against some insanely good forwardsGetty

The quality of players has also risen throughout his 12 years competing in the top flight, forcing Ward to constantly adapt his game.

That’s not to say it’s been an easy ride as a right-back, with rival attackers doing all they can to bamboozle the Palace skipper.

However, when asked by talkSPORT who was the toughest winger he had to try and lock down, Ward opted for a Manchester City icon.

“I always say the likes of David Silva, just because he was so intelligent on the pitch,” Ward said.

“Coming up against someone like him, obviously I know he wasn’t an out-and-out winger, but the positions which he picked up put you in grey areas where you couldn’t go in and you couldn’t close him. Then if he turns, he’s picking out a worldie pass.”

Silva scored 60 goals and chalked up 97 assists from 300 Premier League appearances for City, as he terrorised opposition backlines with defence-splitting passes and mazy dribbles across the pitch.

Ward also had one more surprise name in store and it’s a man who converted himself from a fleet-footed winger to an all-action right-back still going at age 39.

“I always have to laugh, my brother-in-law brings it up all the time, but someone like Ashley Young, who can go both ways,” Ward said of the player who Sir Alex Ferguson signed at Manchester United and then Antonio Conte brought him to Inter.

“He can chop, use his left, use his right. That’s always difficult, especially as a fullback. You’d almost prefer someone who’s out-and-out left-footed, you know they’re not going to come back on their right so you can at least show them down the line or something. But when you’ve got someone that can go either way and chop in and link up, it’s difficult.”

Fortunately for Ward, he has never had to go up against Michael Olise, Wilfried Zaha or Eberechi Eze in the Premier League.

Ward said Young was one of his toughest opponents to markGetty

Zaha and Olise lit up the flanks for Palace before moving to Galatasaray and Bayern Munich respectively, while Eze remains at Selhurst Park and is a vital source of creativity for Oliver Glasner’s side.

Ward described training against Eze as ‘a battle every day’, but believes defending against the trio over the years has ‘for sure’ made him a better defender, even if there’s been some embarrassing moments along the way.

“I think my character is to give everything I’ve got, every day,” Ward said.

“Obviously playing against those guys, you’ve got to be on your best, whether it’s in training or in games.

“There’s certainly been times when I’ve been sat down and I’ve had to watch them go past me.”

Unfortunately for Ward and Palace, the Eagles have suffered a poor start to the campaign in a complete contrast from when they won six out of the final seven games last season.

Glasner’s side sit in 18th on three points and are one of four teams yet to register a win.

They’ll look to end the winless streak on Monday when they travel to Nottingham Forest.