Zaha heads EPL African Player of the Month shortlist

The New African Soccer has announced a three-man shortlist for the English Premier League African Player of the Month award for March.

Amon those nominated is Ivory Coast international Wilfred Zaha who has been at the forefront of a revival of his Crystal Palace team as they seem to have picked up good form in the month of March.

When Palace travelled to Middlesbrough at the end of February, they were above bottom club Sunderland only by virtue of goal difference but a run of three straight wins, Sam Allardyce’s men are now out of the relegation zone, six points clear of Middlesbrough and eight in front of Sunderland.

In those three wins, the Eagles have kept three clean sheets and Zaha has been at the heart of that ressurection.

Capped by England twice, Zaha made the switch to start playing for Ivory Coast, and represented the country in a not-too-remarkable campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon earlier this year.

Two players from another team that has seemed to have risen from imminent doom complete the three-man shortlist.

Last year’s Player of the Year, Algerian Riyad Mahrez makes his first shortlist of the season; while his team-mate, Nigerian Wilfred Ndidi, a January signing for the Premier League champions, has played his way into reckoning for a potential debut award.

Votes to select the Player of the Month are cast through the magazine’s various online portals/social media sites, and the winner announced days later.