Roy Hodgson warns of putting too much pressure on Wilfried Zaha

By Matthew Jones, Reporter | 15 March 2018

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson warns against putting too much pressure on Wilfried Zaha as the winger continues his recovery from a knee injury.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has warned not to heap pressure on Wilfried Zaha as he continues his return from injury.

The Eagles winger sustained a knee injury in early February which kept him out for more than a month, but he returned to action as a half-time substitute in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, assisting Patrick van Aanholt's goal at Stamford Bridge.

Zaha has scored four goals and assisted two more in the Premier League this season, but Hodgson is wary of expecting too much too soon from the Ivory Coast international.

"Neither Wilf nor I can guarantee that he's going to be able to find that level of form again," Hodgson told reporters.

"I'd rather not put him under that much pressure. All we want from Wilf Zaha is the desire, the determination and the character to do what we know he can do. When you focus the spotlight so much on one person I think it's very, very dangerous. I'm hoping there'll be quite a few other players who step up in these final games."

Crystal Palace, who currently sit in the relegation zone, travel to fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town on Saturday for a match Hodgson admits will be "massive" in their bid to survive.

"I think every game we're going to play between now and the end of the season will be a massive game," Hodgson added. "We've got to be well prepared. We're playing a Huddersfield team who we know are very good and difficult to beat.

"This year is exceptional. Normally there's at least three groups in the Premier League. You've got your top six or seven, then you've got another six or seven that are fairly safe. But this year we have the top group and the rest.

"It's going to be a tough period and a nervous period for a lot of teams in these last eight games."

Palace have five of the bottom-half teams left to play in their final eight games of the season.