Day 12 of your Crystal Palace Christmas Calendar sees us look at the £26million man.

It seems odd to say that a player has played exceptionally well when their side is teetering just above the relegation zone.

But that’s exactly how Mamadou Sakho has performed in the opening half of the season.

READ: Scott Dann reveals when he'll be ready for Premier League action

Such has the form of the Frenchman, Didier Deschamps re-called him to Les Bleus.

Alongside James Tomkins the former Liverpool man has forged a sturdy platform for Roy Hodgson’s men despite results not going their way.

Palace’s problems lie in the attacking department as their defence, minus poor showings at Brighton and West Ham more recently, has been relatively sound.

He obviously feels like a man in form with reports in November that he was hoping to play in the Champions League, creating speculation of a move to a ‘bigger’ club.

Roy Hodgson came out praising his centre-back after those reports surfaced so there must be some truth in them.

Those rumours will be a more hush-hush now considering Palace’s plight, although if they were to get relegated Sakho would be a man in demand.

READ: Hodgson responds to 'wantaway' Sakho

Scott Dann will be returning to first team action soon after his lengthy spell on the side-lines and it remains which one of Tomkins or Sakho will make way for the former Blackburn man. One would assume Hodgson would be keen to get Dann back in to his starting XI.

It’s no secret that Sakho is capable of moments of madness on the pitch. There have been signs that he was eradicating that from his game, and then there was his showing at Bournemouth when he gave away a penalty at the death to cost his side a valuable point.

The Bournemouth trip aside, Sakho has performed well and Palace’s lowly league position would surely be lower if it weren’t for the man with an interesting haircut.