Evann Guessand is prepared to remain at Crystal Palace and fight for his place despite being left out of the squad for the Premier League meeting with Ipswich Town.
The Ivorian returned to Selhurst Park on loan from Aston Villa during the summer after spending the second half of last season with Palace, who lifted the Conference League. However, opportunities have been limited since his return, with Guessand omitted from the club’s last two Premier League squads as well as its Europa League selection.
His relationship with head coach Pierre Sage has also come under pressure. Sage criticised Guessand’s application in training after an ineffective substitute appearance against Manchester City, before leaving him and fellow summer arrival Dwight McNeil out of the squad for the victory at Fulham.
Both players were offered a route back for the Carabao Cup tie against Middlesbrough. McNeil came on for the final 15 minutes of Palace’s 3-0 win, but Guessand did not play after reporting an injury during the warm-up. He is still nursing that issue, but remains determined to show his ability at Selhurst Park.
Sage said before the Ipswich fixture that Guessand had not responded to his criticism at the level expected, while stressing the need to find a solution and see the best from the 25-year-old. Guessand is understood to have turned down opportunities from elsewhere in Europe to return to Palace and is committed to making the move work, rather than considering a departure when the January window opens.
Palace went into the Ipswich match seeking a third successive victory in all competitions, with Guessand’s future at the club currently centred on rebuilding his relationship with Sage and earning another opportunity in the team.
