Evann Guessand’s difficult Crystal Palace loan spell has taken another concerning turn, with the Aston Villa forward now going five successive games without playing.
Guessand last featured against Manchester City in August and has since slipped down Pierre Sage’s attacking pecking order.
The 25-year-old returned to Palace on loan from Aston Villa this summer, with the agreement including a conditional obligation to buy.
Guessand struggling for Crystal Palace minutes
Football Insider reported that Guessand has not played a minute across Palace’s last five matches and has also been omitted from their Europa League squad.
His problems began after Sage left both Guessand and Dwight McNeil out of the squad against Fulham.
The Palace manager subsequently explained that the decision followed their performances against Manchester City, telling The Independent that players sometimes needed to be “shaken” before earning their place back.
McNeil has since returned to contention, while Guessand remains on the sidelines.
Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown has now suggested Guessand could eventually return to Villa if his situation does not improve, although there is currently no indication that his season-long loan will be cut short.
For Villa, the situation is worth monitoring given the conditional nature of Palace’s agreement and Guessand’s contract at Villa Park.
