Saturday 14 February 2015 07:02, UK
Wilfried Zaha has admitted his lack of opportunities at Manchester United left his confidence shot.
The forward returned to Crystal Palace on a permanent deal last month two years and just four first-team appearances after making a £15m move to Old Trafford.
Zaha has started four of Palace's five wins under new manager Alan Pardew, though, and it will be a rejuvenated 22-year-old who lines up against Liverpool in the FA Cup on Saturday evening.
"If you're not playing, it's just, 'what am I doing?' Not playing at all hit my confidence but now I am playing again," Zaha said.
"There were other clubs interested but in my mind I wanted to come back to Palace. It is somewhere I like and it's definitely the club I want to be at.
"I am back home. Everything is local to me, my family my friends. I just play football and go home with a smile on my face."
Coach Keith Millen spoke about Pardew's positive attitude on Friday, saying his "confidence and enthusiasm has given the players belief", and Zaha credits the manager with helping him back to form.
"He is just trying to get my confidence back up really and he told me to concentrate a bit more during games," he said. "During games I sometimes switch off or whatever - he has told me to work hard on my concentration and have a bit more belief in my game."
Palace have already beaten Liverpool at Selhurst Park once this season, and Brendan Rodgers' in-form visitors will not frighten Zaha on Saturday.
"We are playing quite well right now, we just have the confidence to play well against any team. I don't know what our chances are of winning the tournament but it seems if you are playing well then any team has a chance."
