Andros Townsend hopes Wilfried Zaha stays at Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are ‘lucky’ to have Wilfried Zaha, according to Andros Townsend who hopes the Eagles get to keep their ‘talisman’.

Zaha has been a major influence in Palace's Premier League survival in the past two seasons, and a win over Bournemouth on the final day of 2018-19 would see the 12th-placed side record a club-best total points for a 38-game top-flight campaign.

On his part, the Cote d'Ivoire international's opener in the Eagles’ 3-2 win over Cardiff City saw him hit double figures [10] for the first time in the Premier League.

His sterling performances have positioned him as one of the sought after players heading into the off season, despite committing to a new long-term deal with the Selhurst Park outfit during the season.

"We're lucky to have him at Palace and hopefully we can keep him for a little bit longer," Townsend told reporters in England.

"The players, the manager, the staff, the fans all love Wilf and all want him to stay.

"He's a top-class player and, without doubt, the most naturally talented player I've ever played with.

"If you see some of the stuff he does in training on a day-to-day basis, it's incredible.

"But if that day does come this summer, next summer or the summer after, where he feels like he has to move on, we'll give him our best wishes."

On Zaha's improved temperament, Townsend said: "I think he had a spell this season where he was picking up yellows for dissent and got a red card against Southampton.

"I think that was the turning point where he realised he had to mature.

"Ever since then he has been incredible for us, he's been in great goalscoring form when we needed it most.

"He's matured. He's not allowed fouls or bad refereeing decisions to affect him. He's been the talisman we know he can be."

On the international scene, Zaha's Cote d’Ivoire will compete in the Africa Cup of Nations this summer.

The Elephants find themselves in Group D alongside Morocco, South Africa and Namibia.