Wilfried Zaha says battling with Conor Gallagher to be Crystal Palace’s top goalscorer this season is helping him raise his game.
The Ivorian scored twice against Watford on Wednesday evening to take his tally for the season to eight goals, tying him with Chelsea loanee Gallagher, who also found the net against the Hornets.
Zaha is now just three strikes shy of equalling his season-best tally of 11 goals for the Eagles posted last season under Roy Hodgson.
He will have 12 Premier League games with which to try and match or better that number, plus an FA Cup run that will carry on if Palace overcome Stoke City in the fifth round next week.
Gallagher, meanwhile, is enjoying his most fruitful season in front of goal and has outscored every Chelsea player in the league while on loan in south London.
The 22-year-old has been top of Palace’s goalscoring charts from the beginning of the season but now faces a straight race with Zaha to finish the campaign on a high.
That pressure is bringing the best out of both players, with Zaha commenting on Gallagher’s impact and what it means for him following victory over Watford.
“Everyone knows what Conor is about,” said the winger. “The energy and the quality he brings to the team. If I’m competing with people like that then I have to step up as well.
“It's good to have someone else to compete against - to raise my game.”
Palace boss Patrick Vieira has said previously that he wants Zaha to show more consistency in his game and produce for the team in front of goal more often.
He did that against the Hornets, with his manager afterwards telling reporters that he felt Zaha’s performance at Vicarage Road was his best in a Palace shirt working under him.
The win against Watford was also the Eagles' first Premier League victory of 2022, with pressure having mounted on the side to break their duck for the calendar year against Hodgson’s relegation strugglers.
“It feels amazing,” Zaha added after the 4-1 win. “We’ve been putting good performances together but it doesn't matter if you're not getting the points. So today felt amazing.”
Palace are now looking ahead to Saturday’s home match against Burnley, who picked up impressive wins over Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two games.
The Eagles are 11th in the table ahead of the match, though the sides around them have games in hand.
Still, the target for Zaha and the rest of the Crystal Palace team is clear. “With the team that we have the top half of the table is where we should be looking at," he added.
