Evann Guessand is committed to earning his place back in Crystal Palace's plans, despite being omitted from the matchday squad once again for the visit of Ipswich Town.
The Ivorian forward returned to Selhurst Park on a season-long loan from Aston Villa this summer, having impressed during the second half of last season when Palace claimed Conference League glory. However, life under new head coach Pierre Sage has proven far tougher for the 25-year-old, who has now missed out on Palace's last two Premier League squads and was also left out of the Europa League squad entirely.
Sage, who replaced Oliver Glasner in the summer, has not held back in his assessment of Guessand's application in training. The Frenchman previously took issue with an underwhelming cameo from the striker during the defeat to Manchester City and has since adopted a tough stance with several squad members, including fellow summer arrival Dwight McNeil, who was also dropped for last weekend's league win at Fulham — Palace's first of the campaign.
Both Guessand and McNeil appeared to be given a route back into contention for the Carabao Cup tie against Middlesbrough, which Palace won comfortably 3-0. Sage had explained his reasoning for the earlier omissions by suggesting some players occasionally need a jolt to rediscover their form. "Sometimes players have to be shaken to come back and regain their level," he said when asked about leaving out McNeil and Guessand for the Fulham fixture.
While McNeil did feature for 15 minutes off the bench against Middlesbrough, Guessand was unable to take part after reporting an injury during the warm-up. Speaking ahead of the Ipswich match, Sage addressed the situation further, indicating that the forward had not responded to his challenge in the way he had hoped.
"He hasn't responded at the level I expect," Sage told reporters. "He mentioned he was injured at the end of the warm-up for the game on Tuesday, that's why he didn't go on the pitch. I have to speak to him because we need to find a solution. We need to see the best version of him."
The head coach went on to stress that his frustration comes from having witnessed Guessand operate at a considerably higher standard in the past, and he urged the striker to take inspiration from how McNeil has responded to being dropped.
According to Standard Sport, Guessand is still recovering from the knock sustained during the warm-up before the Middlesbrough tie, but remains focused on proving his worth at Palace. Having enjoyed a positive spell at the club last season, he turned down interest from several clubs across Europe in order to extend his stay in south London on loan.
As things stand, there is no indication that Guessand is considering a departure when the January transfer window opens, despite his limited game time. Instead, sources suggest he is fully focused on resolving his situation with Sage and working his way back into regular contention.
The relationship between player and coach has been strained during the opening weeks of the season, but both parties are reportedly seeking a way forward that benefits Palace as they continue their pursuit of a third straight win in all competitions, starting with Saturday's home clash against Ipswich Town.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.