It would be fitting of Manchester United’s season were Wilfried Zaha to tear them asunder at Wembley on Saturday.
The 23-year-old winger had an ill-fated spell at Old Trafford after he joined United for £10 million as Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing.
Zaha could have cost United £15m but he never came close to the achievements or accolades that would have led to bonus payments. He only played two senior games for the club as neither David Moyes or Louis van Gaal took to him.
Zaha secured a return to Crystal Palace for a figure thought to be as meagre as £3m [£6m if add-on clauses are met]. A great bit of business from The Eagles for a player who has scored five goals in 42 appearances this season.
The winger should be fit to face United at the weekend and Alan Pardew, his coach, has revealed Ferguson has not given up hope on him. Pardew told reporters:
“This cup final could be his stage and, if anyone will want to prove himself on the day, it will be Wilf.
“When you leave a football club like that, all you can do is your best; and he has. He’s just won Player of the Year here again and you can’t do any more than that.
“I spoke to Alex Ferguson about him recently and he still thinks he’s destined to be a top player. Alex still talks about the qualities Wilf has – the pace, power, the constant energy to run from start to finish. There are not many players who can carry the ball like he does for maybe 120 minutes.
“People say it was a bad experience for him at Old Trafford, but I don’t agree.
“It was probably good for him to have a knock-back. It’s put bit more fight in him.”
One imagines Zaha will cause plenty of trouble for a United defence that crumbled under the pressure during their recent league loss to West Ham.
Pace, power, unpredictability. Louis van Gaal can only take it in small doses.
