Crystal Palace XI vs West Ham: Zaha returns – Starting lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest
Zaha #Zaha
Wilfried Zaha returns to the Crystal Palace team for their game against West Ham.
The 30-year-old has missed four games due to a groin injury but returned to training this week and goes straight back into the starting line-up.
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Palace have won twice in four games without Zaha.
But Hodgson insisted on Friday that the Ivory Coast international would return to the starting XI as soon as he is fit, despite the form of Jordan Ayew and Michael Olise.
Hodgson said: “Wilf Zaha has trained for a few days this week so we can add him to the squad, which is good, but otherwise it’s fortunately the same group that has been playing these last four or five games.
“We’re delighted to see him back on the training field doing the sessions and exercises we’ve been doing because, for the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen him running around, trying to bring his fitness up to the level which will enable him to take part in a Premier League match.
“The need in our next five matches is to give good performances, and of course we don’t want to lose our best players going into them. I’m certain he’ll give everyone a boost and make our team stronger, due to the fact he’s now back with us, able to play.”
Joachim Andersen is fit, having been substituted at half-time in the midweek defeat at Wolves.
Confirmed Palace XI: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Doucoure, Schlupp, Olise, Eze, Zaha, Ayew
Subs: Guaita, Milivojevic, Tomkins, Lokonga, Mateta, Hughes, Edouard, Richards
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