Emmanuel Petit slams Wilfried Zaha for two key moments during Arsenal thrashing

20 March 2023 , 00:00

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Emmanuel Petit slams Wilfried Zaha for two key moments during Arsenal thrashing

Ex-Arsenal hero Emmanuel Petit slammed Wilfried Zaha for a lack of effort during Crystal Palace's 4-1 loss against his former side.

Like a number of his team-mates in the crushing defeat, Zaha put in a below par performance just two days after the sacking of manager Patrick Vieira, Petit's old team-mate. Palace axed Vieira following a run of 12 games without a win and Zaha, usually the Eagles' talisman, failed to produce in caretaker manager Paddy McCarthy's first and potentially only match in charge, with former boss Roy Hodgson in the fold to replace him during the upcoming international break.

The Palace winger, whose contract expires in June, was culpable for Arsenal's first two goals and Petit slammed his efforts at half-time. "When you lose a manager two days ago, you have to show great character and spirit. You have to fight in the danger zone," the Frenchman, who won the Premier League and FA Cup with Arsenal, said of Zaha to Premier League Productions.

"He isn't concerned about getting back and helping his teammates. I am very disappointed with the lack of involvement in this action." Petit added, referencing Arsenal's first goal. On their second, the ex-midfielder added: "He's not concerned anymore. He has to fight.

"Look at the (lack of) movement. He came back, then he isn't focused on [Bukayo] Saka's movement. He came inside the box. He should have been more aggressive."

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Have your say! Should Zaha leave Crystal Palace this summer? Give us your verdict in the comments section.

Wilfried Zaha was culpable for the first two goals that Crystal Palace conceded (Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Fellow pundit and Premier League great Michael Owen also picked up on Zaha's shortcomings, saying: "You have one player [Saka] that has loads of desire and another player that hasn't."

After turning 30, the Ivory Coast international's nine-year spell with Palace could come to an end this summer. Having come through the club's academy and broken into first-team, Zaha made a big-money move to Manchester United in 2013, only to return to Selhurst Park after just one year away.

Without a manager or with no sign of new deal in sight for Zaha, Arsenal have even been tipped to sign the 30-year-old as a backup forward option. He's also received a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, according to the Daily Mail.

Before his sacking, Vieira claimed that Zaha's future was in his own hands. "We do what we can and everyone knows we want to keep Wilfried at the club, but it will be his decision," the now unemployed boss explained. "We are waiting to see what he wants to do but we will do everything we can to keep him."

Nathan Ridley