Wilfried Zaha has been excellent during past weeks. He signed a new contract this past summer and he is once again the most important player for Crystal Palace as they battle against relegation.

The South London team struggled at the beginning of the season without their quick winger and since his return to fitness, they are steadily working their way up the league.

They are on a six-match unbeaten run in the Premier League and are on the verge of climbing out of the bottom three for the first time this season.

For Draft Fantasy managers, the Ivory Coast international has yet to do enough to make himself a must own, but two assists in his last two matches are a sign of what is to come.

His underlying stats of 1.02 chances created and 2.6 shots per ninety minutes are nothing to write home about, but when watching him, it is obvious that Zaha carries a huge threat in the final third.

The 25-year-old is quick, skilful and willing to run at opposition defenders. There are few players better than the winger at drawing fouls in and around the area. That adds to his fantasy value.

His current total of 51 points is a good return considering Palace’s position, but he has the potential to contribute more goals and assists over the coming weeks.

Roy Hodgson’s team are full of confidence and Zaha is the player they have built their attack about. Their new manager has immediately noticed his importance to the side and he is getting better with every game.

Although he failed at Manchester United earlier in his career, he is now a consistent threat in the Premier League and he will be looking to establish himself as one of the best players outside of the top-six.

Crystal Palace don’t have the best fixtures over the Christmas period, as they are set to face in-form Leicester City and two top-six sides in the form of Arsenal and Manchester City.

However, that is no reason to avoid him in Draft Fantasy. Zaha has an ability to produce goals out of nothing and Palace will need him to do just that in these matches.

They are unlikely to have the possession or intent to create clear-cut chance after clear-cut chance, rather relying on their best player for a moment of magic.

If you are looking for a differential pick outside of the top-six teams to give your team a boost, Zaha is a great option. He gets plenty of the ball in the final third and Palace are a team that look set to climb the league over the rest of the season.

They are too good to be relegated and their results are starting to reflect that. A return of three goals and two assists isn’t eye-catching, but it would be a surprise if that didn’t improve significantly during the second half of the season. The 25-year-old winger is a risk, but one worth taking.