After a week in which Manchester United’s £85 million striker Romelu Lukaku faced heavy criticism for failing to show up for the big occasion against the club’s arch rivals, Crystal Palace fans were treated to an extraordinary turnaround at Selhurst Park courtesy of Wilfried Zaha’s ability to do just that: stand up and be counted at the crucial moment.
Zaha, himself a United reject, assisted twice in the final five minutes of Palace’s 2-1 victory over Watford to turn the match on its head. First he cut inside from the left and fired a shot at Heurelho Gomes for Bakary Sakho to score the rebound, and then two minutes later he drove down the outside of Adrian Mariappa to cross for James McArthur’s winner. It was 120 seconds of vintage Zaha; all swagger and directness, two flashes of brilliance that showcased his intelligence (in heading for the byline after previously cutting in) and, more importantly, his psychological strength.
On Tuesday night, Zaha couldn’t have seemed further away from the 21-year-old who looked so timid and out of place at Man United under David Moyes. The Ivory Coast international moved to Old Trafford at the beginning of the 2013/14 season, and having failed to shine – or even look like a Premier League footballer – in that hapless Moyes team Zaha was shipped on loan to Cardiff six months after his arrival following just two substitute appearances in the Premier League. It was a sorry story of a young footballer moving too soon.
Since returning to his boyhood club in 2014 Zaha has thankfully gone from strength to strength, putting that troubling six months behind him to develop into one of the most assured wingers in the country. His exploits at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night were indicative of the man he has become; someone who has used those dark days in Manchester to become considerably tougher, ready for the challenge of a relegation battle under Roy Hodgson.
It wasn’t the first time this season Zaha’s skill got Palace out of jail, and it won’t be the last. He scored a 96th minute equaliser in the final few moments of a home match against West Ham last month, showing remarkable composure to fire a low shot into the far corner of the net with the last kick of the game. In the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last weekend it was Zaha’s trickery that earned Palace’s stoppage-time penalty, missed by Christian Benteke.
It is moments such as these that prove Zaha has a thick skin and is developing into a real leader on the pitch, something Palace will need in the coming months - if they can hold onto their star. It cannot be long before the big clubs come knocking again, and this time Zaha will no doubt rise to the challenge.
Tottenham Hotspur could use some pace and directness to counter-balance their squad, while Liverpool will need to replace Philippe Coutinho next summer and Chelsea are surely in the hunt for another playmaker to support Eden Hazard.
Whichever of the big six come calling, Zaha will be ready.
