Returning players a huge boost for Crystal Palace, says Eagles defender Joel Ward

The Eagles’ FA Cup clash at Southampton at the weekend saw Yohan Cabaye and Bakary Sako return to first-team action after their suspensions and injuries.

Alan Pardew hopes forwards Connor Wickham and Dwight Gayle are also close to resuming action after a spell on the treatment table, and Ward admits the dressing room has been boosted by the imminent return of several crucial players.

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“I’m feeling good and I think we are a good group and the staff are looking after us,” Ward, 26, said.

“Training is good and the morale and fitness is going well and we have had a boost with people coming back from injury and people working their way up to match fitness.”

Palace’s 2-1 win at St Mary’s – inspired by goals from Ward and Wilfried Zaha – set-up a fourth round fixture against Stoke at Selhurst Park.

Ward, like manager Pardew, believes a successful cup run is achievable.

The defender said: “We’re not too many wins away from the quarters or the semis and we want to go all the way and hopefully we can move on after the next round.

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“We performed really well [against Southampton], they had a fast start and caused us some problems in the first half but defensively we coped with it very well and took our chance when it came.

“We dug in deep in the second half and Wilf has done ever so well to hit the target and put the ball in the back of the net.”

The former Portsmouth player’s goal – his fourth for Palace – gave the visitors the lead on the south coast, but Ward was quick to praise winger Jason Puncheon for the inviting assist.

He added: “Punch was very calm and I gave him a shout as I was coming into the box and he’s put it right in my path. It’s always nice to score a goal and thankfully I was in the right place at the right time and kept cool and slotted it in.”