Wilf won’t flop again

ROY HODGSON says Wilfried Zaha won’t fail if and when he leaves Crystal Palace again.

Zaha’s form has seen the Premier League’s big guns set their sights on landing the winger in January.

Palace are desperate to keep the Ivory Coast star but Hodgson could not give any assurances this week that Zaha will stay put.

Zaha (right) flopped when he joined Manchester United for £15m in 2013.

After failing to make a league start he returned to Palace two years later and is now in the form of his life.

Eagles boss Hodgson said: “I’m sure the confidence he has today isn’t going to evaporate, whether he continues here or elsewhere.

“We want that to be here, of course, and luckily and we are in control of that.

“But if the day did come when Wilf decided, or the club decided they’d be obliged to let him move onto the next ‘Manchester United’, I’m sure he’ll be in a better position to deal with it.”

Zaha has played a key role in Palace’s seven-game unbeaten run and will lead the line today, with Christian Benteke banned for the trip to rock-bottom Swansea.

At 70, Hodgson is twice the age of Swansea caretaker boss Leon Britton, who replaces the axed Paul Clement. But he said: “I don’t think it makes it any easier. We are preparing for a tough and important game.

“We have to accept whatever affect this sacking has on the team.

“There are a lot of teams looking over their shoulders and fearing relegation. We have to be at our best to take points.

“Three points against Swansea will give us more confidence going into our games against Arsenal and Man City.”