Chamakh enjoying life again at Palace

Marouane Chamakh has rediscovered his enjoyment of the game after being given regular first-team football at Crystal Palace.

The Moroccan arrived at Selhurst Park after falling out of favour at Arsenal, where he made just one Premier League start in the 2011-12 season, before an unsuccessful loan move to West Ham last year.

This campaign has been a different story for Chamakh, though, seeing the striker making 30 league appearances, 25 of which have been starts.

And Chamakh is in a much happier place after enjoying a regular run in the first team as Palace have climbed to the safety of 11th place in the table.

“Everyone knows I have enjoyed being here this season,” he told the club’s official website.

“We had a big challenge ahead when I came here – probably bigger than any challenge I’ve had before – so that was good for me.

“We did well this season, there was a good atmosphere among the players and now that we are at the end of the season I can look back and be really, really happy about what we achieved.

“I’ve played a lot more football this season and that’s why I came here. It was a challenge to play regularly, to enjoy my football and have fun again.

“I lost that before at Arsenal and West Ham. It was really important for me to find that emotion again. I needed that, I wanted that and I am so happy.”