Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has charged Jordan Ayew to step up and take his chance in the absence of first-choice Christian Benteke.

The Big Belgian is currently out with a knee injury, with the 27 year old undergoing minor surgery earlier this week to try and solve the troublesome problem.

While Parish hopes Benteke will come back sooner rather than later, he says his absence provides an opportunity for others, with Alexander Sorloth and Jordan Ayew currently vying for a place up front, and Connor Wickham moving closer to a first team return after playing 45 minutes for a Palace XI on Thursday against Dulwich Hamlet.

Ayew has failed to register a goal in all competitions for the Selhurst Park outfit since joining from Swansea in the summer.

The Ghanaian international will be hoping to break his scoring duck next weekend when Palace travel to Goodison Park to play Everton in Premier League.

“You will get them [injuries], and other people have got to take their chance," Parish said.

“Christian [Benteke] will come back, and hopefully he might come back sooner, and we are hopeful that with a fair wind we might get him back before January.

“These things aren’t always an exact science, timing wise, so we are hopeful that we may get him back sooner, and of course we have Connor [Wickham], who came back against Dulwich, and Alex [Sorloth] and Jordan [Ayew], so we have got other players who have got to step up and take their chance."

By Daraja Mutari