Player Focus: Wilfried Zaha Can Fire Palace to Further Success

A hiatus in Manchester and then the Welsh capital did not stop Wilfried Zaha from continuing where he had left off with Crystal Palace. Drama, drama and more drama surrounds everything that he does in the Eagles' colours, and there was plenty of it on Saturday afternoon when he made his first appearance since returning to the club. 

Having ended his last stint at Palace by scoring both goals in a 2-0 playoff semi-final win over Brighton and then winning the penalty that Kevin Phillips converted in extra time of the final to send them back into the top flight, Zaha was at the centre of a grandstand finish to a 3-3 draw with Newcastle at the weekend. It was his injury-time goal that earned Palace their first point of the season, giving returning manager Neil Warnock a positive result in what was also his first match back.

Zaha had, despite only being introduced in the 70th minute, already nearly scored once and also had a goal ruled out for offside before he eventually slammed home an equaliser after a lofted free-kick had fallen loose in the penalty area. 2013/14 was far from the best season for the 21-year-old, but this coming campaign could prove more fruitful for him, back where he feels most comfortable in south east London.

A year ago when he finally went to United he was thrown in from the start in David Moyes' first match in charge; a one-sided Community Shield victory over Wigan. While an easy passage to silverware was as poor an indication of things to come under the Scot's lead as there could have been, Zaha's position in the starting lineup painted a picture of equally false pretences.

He had to wait until late October for his next appearance - and only other start for United - in an unremarkable performance in a Capital One Cup victory over Norwich in which fellow youngster Adnan Januzaj stole the limelight. Zaha didn't play in a single European game for United and made only 2 league appearances; both from the bench and both in December as things became increasingly desperate for Moyes.

Homesickness was widely reported to be affecting him as he didn't have football to occupy his time. When he had been in London he had shared his post-game thoughts with his father each week and without that comfort he was reportedly suffering. A loan move to Cardiff barely helped matters. He made just 5 Premier League starts and 7 substitute appearances - of which the Bluebirds won only 2 - as they went on to be relegated with barely a whimper.

Having already proven his credentials sufficiently in the Championship to earn an England call-up in 2012, there was little chance of Zaha making his stay in Wales permanent, while there was less chance still of him returning to Manchester. A move back to Selhurst Park made perfect sense.

And in Newcastle last Saturday Zaha's performance will have had Palace fans salivating at the prospect of having him back. Yannick Bolasie has been a fantastically dangerous winger for the club in Zaha's absence, and played a huge part in their surge up the league at the end of last season, but Zaha offers something different.

Both run at pace and with a directness that unsettles defenders, but while Bolasie has had 4 shots in over four and a half hours of play this season, Zaha had as many in just 20 minutes at St James' Park. Only Adel Taarabt (who had 1 shot in 1 minute on the pitch against Sunderland) has had a shot more frequently in the Premier League this season than Zaha (every 5 minutes). He also completed 2 successful dribbles and made 2 tackles. It was the second-best performance by a substitute in the Premier League this season (7.43 rating) and the best of any sub playing 20 minutes or less.

Warnock was said not to have been very high up chairman Steve Parish's wishlist after Tony Pulis resigned, but with the squad already assembled at Selhurst Park as well as the additions Warnock made towards the end of the transfer window, this Palace team could be looking to repeat last season's 11th-placed finish.

James McArthur arrives for a club record £7m and he could add a bit of technical, ball-playing ability alongside Mile Jedinak in the centre of the park. He averaged 52.2 passes per game for Wigan in the Championship thus far this season and also had 2 assists in his 5 appearances, and could provide the passes that set Palace's exciting attackers on breaks forward.

With Zaha and Bolasie options on either wing, Warnock also has Jason Puncheon - who he seems to have reconciled his differences with - available too. All 8 of his Premier League goals for Palace and 2 of his 3 assists have come this calendar year, and with 1 of each already this season he seems to have begun in similar form to the end of last term. It is certainly in Warnock's best interests to leave their fallout firmly in the past.

Also with Joe Ledley as another option in central midfield Palace, for the first time since promotion back into the big time, boast genuine strength in depth in midfield. Pulis had a very obvious first choice XI throughout the second half of the season and he was extremely fortunate with injuries during his time at the club. The team built up a momentum with a select group of players that even a couple of injuries could have disrupted irreparably. Now, Warnock has the players to rotate.

Up front, they have Dwight Gayle, who has the fifth best minutes per goal rate (122.1) of players with 5 or more goals since the start of last season, Marouane Chamakh, who has the 2nd best conversion rate (30%) in that time frame, Fraizier Campbell and newly re-signed hero of the noughties Andy Johnson. Chances are generally few and few between for the Eagles - they averaged the fewest shots per game in the Premier League last season (10.9) and they have averaged the fewest this term too (8.3) - but with this midfield the quality of those chances is better than most, and they have a strikeforce capable of finishing them off, too.

After the chaos of Tony Pulis' resignation and with the team having taken just one point from their opening 3 games, fans have been left pessimistic about this season's hopes of building on what was a positive campaign last time around. 

Zaha's return, however, is reason enough in itself for excitement at Selhurst Park that this squad is capable of another successful Premier League season.

How do you think Crystal Palace will get on this season? Let us know in the comments below