Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has defended his work-rate – insisting he cannot be expected to do everything by himself.
Ivory Coast international Zaha saw his summer disrupted by transfer speculation while he was away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Having seen a move fail to materialise ahead of the deadline, with Arsenal and Everton both reported to be potential suitors, Zaha remained at Selhurst Park.
However, in his six appearances so far, Zaha has yet to score or register an assist, with the Eagles well beaten 4-0 at Tottenham last weekend.
The 26-year-old, though, insists it cannot always be just about his performance.
Speaking in a podcast on the Crystal Palace fans website HLTCO, Zaha said: “As much as I do on the pitch, I can’t play in every position.
“I give 100 per cent, but there are 11 on the pitch and everyone needs to pull their weight.”
Palace boss Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, maintains he has no issue with Zaha’s current mindset, insisting the player had regained focus following the transfer speculation.
Zaha returned to the Eagles initially on loan from Manchester United, before rejoining on a permanent deal in 2015.
Having come through the Palace youth ranks before heading to Old Trafford during 2013, Zaha insists there will always be a strong bond with the south-London club.
Zaha’s current contract runs until the summer of 2023, but his position is again likely to come under the spotlight when the transfer window opens again in January.
Reflecting on events, when the player was reported to have put in a transfer request to push through a transfer, Zaha said: “What happened in the summer happened… there were things I was told that did not happen.
“I was not happy about it, but I’m still a Palace player and want to do well for the club.
“The fans care about your well-being and I will always love Palace – whatever happens.”
Palace host Wolves on Sunday.
