#PLStories- Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse loves crowd banter and Zaha rivalry #SAINTSFC #CRYFC

RUN-INS with the likes of Wilfried Zaha are “all part of the game” says James Ward-Prowse, who insists he loves getting banter from the opposition supporters. The 27-year-old England international was on the receiving end of choruses of jeers and boos at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park, but struck back in the finest possible way. Ward-Prowse planted an inch-perfect free-kick past former international teammate Jack Butland to equalise for Saints after Zaha had put the home side ahead. And it was a welcomed intervention, with it seeming as though former friend and foe Zaha was going to have the last laugh over his Saints rival. The two have come to blows in meetings between the teams before, including Zaha getting himself two consecutive yellow cards at St Mary’s, in January 2019, for an inflamed reaction to Ward-Prowse and the referee. The ex-Manchester United man also seemingly poked Saints’ skipper in the eye a year later but escaped punishment. “No it’s great, it’s all part of the game (the crowd getting on his back),” Ward-Prowse told the Daily Echo. “Me and Wilfried Zaha know each other from the England under-21s and have had a few run-ins in games but that’s all part of it. “All the crowd banter and things like that is great, it’s what makes it fun for me and it’s great to play in that sort of atmosphere, it gives it more of an edge and it’s enjoyable.” Ward-Prowse was critisiced by some after the January 2019 incident for celebrating the referee’s decision to dish out the red card to Palace key-man Zaha.