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Christian Benteke keen to stay at Crystal Palace and rediscover form

Christian Benteke celebrates scoring Crystal Palace's opening goal against West Ham
Image: Christian Benteke is under contract at Crystal Palace until 2020

Christian Benteke will discuss his future with Crystal Palace at the end of the season but insists his desire is to remain at Selhurst Park.

Benteke, Palace's club-record signing, has struggled in front of goal this season, netting for just the third time in the current campaign during the 5-0 drubbing of Leicester on Saturday.

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He scored from the spot after regular penalty-taker Luka Milivojevic, following boss Roy Hodgson's suggestion, stepped aside while they led 4-0 to give him the chance to end his goal drought.

Benteke said: "I'm under contract until 2020, so I want to stay here. I'm going to speak to the chairman (Steve Parish) and the club about what they want to do with me.

Christian Benteke celebrates the 3-0 victory at the King Power Stadium
Image: Benteke joined Palace from Liverpool in 2016 for £27m plus add-ons

"At the end of every season, you have to speak, to see the plan for the next season. To speak, to see what they want to do with me.

"They saw the best of me last season, and I wanted to do even better this season, but it didn't work like that and I will go again next season.

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Watch highlights of Crystal Palace's 5-0 win over Leicester

"It's been frustrating (to be on the bench) because it's the first time that's happened to me.

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"The (squad is) all behind me because they know that it's not the best time for me, and it's the first time I've been through this hard time without scoring. They wanted to give me a big boost."

Wilfried Zaha celebrates after he scoring Crystal Palace's opening goal against Leicester City at Selhurst Park
Image: Roy Hodgson is calm over the future of Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha again impressed, scoring the opening goal before being brought down in the challenge that led to Marc Albrighton's straight red card.

Hodgson said of any potential interest in his forward: "That'll be a club issue. He's not going to stay because of my blue eyes; he'll stay because he likes playing at Selhurst Park, likes the club, and thinks it's the right place for him.

"If someone like Wilf's head is ever turned, it won't just be because there's more money involved, it'll be for other reasons, and that's something Steve Parish and I will have to contend with. But at the moment it's pure speculation."

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