SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 LEICESTER 2
Zaha back to his brilliant best as he torments West Brom and returns to form which made him worth £80m
WILFRIED ZAHA was previously valued by Crystal Palace at £80million which deterred the Premier League big boys. The price tag looked crazy last season as the Eagles talisman managed just four goals after handing in a transfer request in August 2019. But if the Ivory Coast international forward sulked at times then, he definitely appears fired up this season. The only sign of Zaha trudging despondently was when taken off on a hat-trick here after scoring twice.
His stock is firmly on the rise again after his two goals mean he has almost doubled his tally from last term. The 28-year-old returned with a bang at The
Hawthorns after testing positive for Covid- 19. He tormented Albion from the start, forcing Darnell Furlong into an own goal in the eighth minute, before Conor Gallagher equalised and Matheus Pereira was sent off.
Zaha then added two clinical goals of his own after the break as Palace ran riot with a brace from Christian Benteke too.
Boss Roy Hodgson
( right), after Palace’s biggest away Premier League win, said: “We know he has that ability when we can get the ball to him in the final third.
“He is difficult to stop because he has excellent feet and excellent ball control.
“But what he has added to his game this year is goalscoring. He is always looking to get shots away. If Wilf can keep that up it bodes very well for us.
“He was a bit disappointed I took him off with 10 minutes to go because he wanted a hat-trick. That is a good sign too.” Zaha said: “I am shooting more this season. I back myself to take opportunities and it is paying off.”
Palace made a superb start as Zaha created the danger with a fine low cross from the right after shrugging off Pereira. Baggies defender Furlong inadvertently diverted the ball past Sam Johnstone at the near post.
But the hosts deservedly levelled in the 30th minute af ter Semi Ajayi found Furlong down the right.
The wingback’s initial c ross was blocked, but he cut back his second attempt to Gallagher, who buried a low right-foot finish into the bottom corner.
Albion’s prospects were undermined by the reckless dismissal of Pereira. The Brazilian went down after tangling with Patrick van Aanholt and kicked out at the Palace defender while grounded.
Referee
Paul
Tierney initially booked him but later brandished a red card after consulting the pitchside monitor.
After the break, Palace stepped it up as Benteke had a goal-bound shot cleared off the line. Jeffrey Schlupp and James McArthur then combined to tee-up Zaha, who cut inside and curled a right-foot shot into the far corner in the 55th minute.
Four minutes later, Palace made it 3- 1 as Benteke notched after Schlupp played in Van Aanholt, whose cross to the near post was met by a diving header.
Ebe rechi Eze burst into the box and looked poised to score in the 68th minute until the ball fell for Zaha to squeeze in a rightfoot finish for his seventh this season.
Benteke completed the rout as he turned and shot for just his fourth goal in 2020 to justify his first league start.