Wilfied Zaha slams rumours of dating David Moyes daughter.
Ahead of the clash with Manchester United at Selhurst Park this afternoon, former player Zaha puts the record straight on why he fell out of favor.
Zaha was the last signing by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, after impressing at Crystal Palace. The striker was expected to achieve big things at the club however after Sir Alex retired things went against him.
David Moyes duly took over at the club and Zaha was soon banished to the bench. The £15m striker was later sent out on loan to Cardiff before being permanently loaned back to Palace.
“I played in all the pre-season games and then in the Wigan game [Community Shield, August 2013] I never played my best,” he said.
“I played for England and then zero games. Then the rumours started basically because he just stopped playing me with no actual reason that I knew.
“It was either: I slept with David Moyes’ daughter or I have got a bad attitude. Those are the two rumours that stuck with me until I left Man United. I have had no say since then.
“I never even met her (Moyes’ daughter). But as soon as anybody sees me now, people think: Wilfried Zaha, bad attitude. I just don’t understand why. I went through that every single day.
“Getting constant tweets, people outside making jokes. I just had to take that on knowing that I wasn’t going to play for United either. I lived up there by myself as well so there was not really anybody to speak to.”
Zaha admitted that not only his form suffered at United with David Moyes pushing him out of the first-team picture.
“Yes at times I was depressed,” he added. “I felt a lot of things. When I don’t play well nobody needs to say anything to me. I beat myself up. It stresses me out if I mess it up.”
“As soon as Moyes came he just said I wasn’t ready for the Premier League.
“He didn’t say why. I didn’t really understand it. I felt I wasn’t given a chance really.
“Going to Man United you’re expected to be the final product. That’s what it felt like. Maybe it would’ve been different with Ferguson, but I was still learning – I’d just come from the Championship.
“There was a lot of pressure on Moyes – he needed to deliver. He couldn’t take a risk. I’m not putting the blame entirely on him, I’m sure he had stuff on his mind as well.”
Since returning to Palace the striker has struggled to recapture his great form from his first spell at the club.
