London: England manager Gareth Southgate hopes to persuade Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha not to switch allegiance to the Ivory Coast, he revealed this week. Zaha, capped twice by England, has asked world governing body FIFA to allow him to play for the Ivory Coast, which is the country of his birth. The 24-year-old has been pictured holding an Ivory Coast shirt with his name on alongside Ivorian Football Federation president Augustin Sidy Diallo and national coach Michel Dussuyer. “We’re still hopeful that we can speak to Wilf,” Southgate said of Zaha, who can change allegiance because both of his England caps came in friendlies.”