Victor Wanyama: "I've missed playing, I want to help the team"

Victor Wanyama is looking forward again after one of the toughest spells of his career.

The powerhouse midfielder returned to action in the FA Cup tie at Palace on Sunday after being laid low by a knee injury since November.

That ‘i’ word has lingered around the Kenyan captain since the start of last season, restricting him to 24 appearances (out of 55) in 2017/18 and only seven (of 36) this time around. His frustration is palpable, and he’s determined to make up for lost time in the final four months of the season.

“It’s been very tough for me and I just want to try to forget about what has happened because it’s been one of the worst...well...two seasons for me,” said Victor.

“I had an injury, tried to come back, then another injury. It’s so annoying. You want to try to come back quicker but there is no short cut.

“It has been the hardest time of my career to be honest. You start thinking ‘oh no, what is this?’ and that’s when the reality hits you. It’s a difficult moment and you are just burning inside to come back stronger.

“The only thing I could do is work extra hard and make sure I'm doing all the right things to get back on the pitch and help the team.

“Thankfully, I’m with good team-mates and they’ve all helped me and encouraged me to come back stronger. Hopefully I can stay healthy now.”

Coincidentally, Victor’s previous appearance was also at Selhurst Park in a 1-0 win in the Premier League on 10 November. On Sunday, he stepped off the bench just after the hour as we tried to get back into the fourth round tie but couldn’t find a way through as the Eagles held onto their 2-0 lead.

Naturally disappointed by the result, Victor added: “It was a tough game but getting the minutes was good for me to get the feeling back, the feeling of how tough it is out there.

“I’ve missed playing, missed the games. I want to get into rhythm as soon as possible and try to help the team. I just want to keep myself fit and finish the season stronger.

“I know I need to work even harder to get back into the team. It won’t be easy but with hard work, everything is possible. I feel good now and I’m looking forward.”