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Zaha Promises Man. Utd Hell In FA Cup Final; I'll Make Them Suffer

Man. utd flop Wilfried Zaha

If you filter out the small matter of 38 Premier League results then Crystal Palace have had a pretty good season.

The Eagles have reached the FA Cup final for the first time since being beaten by Manchester United 26 years ago on the back of some excellent displays earned against established top flight teams. They have done on the way to Wembley precisely what has been mostly beyond them in the league since Christmas, namely win matches. Their league form has been relegation-worthy; cup-wise they are a good bet for Europe.

Wilfried Zaha has himself taken part in only one single league victory in 2016 - a 1-0 win against relegated Norwich back in April. In the FA Cup though he has shown the form of a champion. You would be hard-pressed to find a Palace fan who regards any other player as their team's stand-out performer in this competition.

It was Zaha who set the Eagles on their way, netting the winner in the third round against Southampton. It was Zaha who scored the only goal in the 1-0 win against Stoke in the fourth round, too. Receiving the ball to feet, he embarked on a controlled dribble into the area before dispatching one of the goals of the tournament.

He was also on form in the fifth round against Tottenham, assisting brilliantly the winner scored by right-back Martin Kelly. Zaha was then central to proceedings in the quarter-final against Reading, brilliantly cutting a swath through the Championship side's defence ahead of Fraizer Campbell's late goal.

Others took the spotlight at Wembley in the semi-final against Watford but Zaha is going to be centre stage on Saturday when Palace face the club at which he suffered the lowest point in his career - Manchester United.

"Wilfried is an unbelievable player," Palace team-mate Yohan Cabaye said this week. "He has a big, big talent and is still young."

It's the local boy against the big red machine that chewed him up and spat him out. Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson's final United signing having joined from Palace for a rumoured fee of £15m but the Scot never truly got to see him in action. Ferguson signed him in January 2013 and retired that summer; in between, Zaha remained on loan with Palace at Selhurst Park.

By the time he arrived at Carrington, David Moyes was in the hot seat. He was never truly convinced by a player he neither asked for nor wanted. A poor run-out in the Community Shield was enough to convince Moyes to dump him. Off to Cardiff City he went and it appeared a prospect who looked destined for the top was going to rot away.

"I don't know what happened at that time [with Manchester United] but I'm just happy to have Wilf in the team," says Cabaye. "He can make a difference on the pitch and is very important to us."

The Cote d'Ivoire-born sensation has been refreshed by his move back to Palace - first on loan and now, settled, on a permanent basis. Palace are delighted with their business; they have got back one of their own prodigies for a price far below that which they received from United in the first place.

Zaha is adored by the Palace fans not only because he is again representing their community with distinction but because he is a very good player. Not many attackers in the Premier League, on their day, can manipulate the ball like he can and anticipate challenges before they come.

He has become more of an accomplished finisher and is a thriving, creative presence in the Palace attack. He has stood up this season in difficult circumstances when Palace's other go-to stars - chiefly Yannick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon - have been injured. Great things are again expected for the maturing 23-year-old, who has been voted Palace's Player of the Year, not least adding to his haul of two England caps.

"Hopefully for him he will get in the England squad soon," says Cabaye. "After the Euros maybe and if he is still playing at this level it is a chance for us."

Zaha did not play in any of Palace's final three matches of the Premier League season. He suffered an injury in April following 90 minutes against his old club at Old Trafford and was plagued by a muscle injury in his buttock.

On the grandest domestic stage of all, Palace fans will be hoping he can be a pain in the backside for the team who cast him aside.

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