Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has expressed his excitement following the return of Jordan Ayew to the team after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Ayew represented Ghana in the tournament, where the Black Stars exited at the group stage.

Despite Ghana's early exit, Ayew made an immediate impact upon his return, securing a starting role in Crystal Palace's recent game against Sheffield United, where the Eagles secured a 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park.

Hodgson highlighted the significance of having key players like Ayew back in the lineup, emphasizing the creative and goal-scoring abilities they bring to the team.

“I think when they're playing – and Jordan [Ayew] too, because he's come back from the African Cup [of Nations] and we've missed him for three or four weeks, and [Jean-Philippe] Mateta, to be fair, he's played exceptionally well – with those four players in our side, I think we create chances in a totally different way and cause problems for teams in a totally different way than perhaps we've been able to do when we've not had them,” Hodgson stated after the Sheffield United game.

Hodgson expressed his belief in the team's quality and acknowledged the positive impact of having key players like Ayew, emphasizing their ability to create opportunities and contribute to the team's overall performance.

Crystal Palace fans will hope that Ayew's return will continue to boost the team's attacking prowess and help them secure positive results in upcoming fixtures.