Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha aims to show Manchester United what they are missing

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha wants to make former club Manchester United regret dismissing him after just two seasons at Old Trafford.

Zaha returned to Palace on a permanent basis in the January transfer window after two years at United, during which time he was a peripheral member of ex-manager David Moyes's squad and sent out on loan by current boss Louis van Gaal.

The 22-year-old made just four senior appearances for United during that spell and since he has flourished for a Palace side who have surprised many in securing comfortable safety from relegation in mid-table under manager Alan Pardew.

"I did not really get a chance to prove myself [at United] and I have got to show what I could have done over there at Palace," he told the London Evening Standard.

"There is no point thinking about the past because there is nothing that really happened there. There is nothing to look back on because I never really played. I was just there – not playing and not doing anything. It would be nice to get a result."

After being loaned out by Sir Alex Ferguson upon his arrival at United, Zaha spent his first full season at the club marginalised by Moyes during which time he made just a handful of appearances.

Van Gaal then wasted little time in allowing Zaha to move to Palace on a second loan spell prior to his permanent return to Selhurst Park, and the player admits he had little or no communication with the Dutch coach.

"He spoke to me now and then," he said. "The only thing I was happy about was that he let me go out on loan. He did not muck me around. So I have to thank him for that. A manager has got to do what a manager has got to do."

Palace can still mathematically finish in the top half of the Premier League but must make up a five-point deficit in the final three games of the campaign, meaning victory over United is a must if Pardew's side are to end the season with a flourish.

"Their confidence is not the best right now and we have got nothing to lose," added Zaha. "We just need to have belief and the confidence to get the ball down and play. We can definitely get a result."