Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Wilfried Zaha set for Friday return after Ivory Coast AFCON 2017 exit

Zaha and Ivory Coast were left disappointed at AFCON 2017
AFP/Getty Images
Giuseppe Muro25 January 2017

Wilfried Zaha will return to Crystal Palace on Friday after the Ivory Coast were eliminated from the African Nations Cup.

Rachid Alioui scored a spectacular winner for Morocco to AFCON defeat holders Ivory Coast 1-0 on Tuesday night and advance to the quarter-finals at the expense of Zaha and his team-mates.

Zaha will be assessed when he reports back to the club and Palace manager Sam Allardyce will then decide if the winger plays against Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday.

But it seems more likely Zaha will return to the team for the crunch Premier League game away at Bournemouth next Tuesday.

Africa Cup of Nations 2017 - In pictures

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Zaha was expected to be away until February and having him back earlier than expected is a huge boost for Palace, who have dropped into the relegation zone.

Ivory Coast's exit came as a shock to many as they managed just two goals and two points in their three matches in Gabon, and had to settle for third place in Group C.

Morocco finished runners-up in the group with six points, one behind pool winners the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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