Yannick Bolasie is desperate to get his Everton career back on track and believes he is good enough to make an impact for Carlo Ancelotti's side this season.
The winger has not featured for the Toffees in a competitive game since a late cameo role at West Ham in May 2018, with loan spells at Aston Villa, Anderlecht and Sporting Lisbon in the ensuing two years.
Prior to a serious knee injury almost four years ago, the DR Congo international had been a regular at Everton after a £25million move from Crystal Palace, but despite feeling back to his best, he has so far been overlooked in the Premier League and Carabao Cup this term.
It appears likely the 31-year-old will miss out on a return to Selhurst Park this weekend too, but it will not sway his belief.
"Seeing where I am at with the boys (in training) has put the nail in the coffin almost to say actually my level is here," Bolasie told the PA news agency.
"Palace took me in when I wasn't high on confidence and they gave me the game time and let me grow as a person and man. Palace is always going to be there for me. It is a bit like a first love in football.
"I think the connection with the fans has always been there from when I first joined. Just playing in the stadium and having the reception towards me and doing my thing, they know I love the club and that will never change.
"They always remain with me and I still have my little man talking about Palace, asking for kits and it means it was a big part of my life. I really enjoyed it."
If Bolasie talks with affection about Palace, it is certainly reciprocated by the Eagles fans, who have a plethora of memories of the ex-Hillingdon Borough player producing tricks on one flank in SE25, while Wilfried Zaha was doing similar on the other.
Although no supporters would have been in attendance at Selhurst Park, the chance to see the pair back on the same pitch this weekend would have still been a moment to savour.
How long Zaha stays with Roy Hodgson's side remains to be seen, but he captained the Eagles to success at Manchester United last weekend and could keep the armband on Saturday.
Bolasie said: "When I see Wilf being the captain, I am lovestruck. Obviously Palace fans must love it as well but everyone has their own thoughts in their head individually.
"Knowing Wilf, I know he is an ambitious person and you would like to think he would like to play at the highest level possible.
"Premier League is the highest level but I am talking the Champions League and that is definitely what he would have wanted to do from a young age.
"Sometimes these things arrive in football but at the minute it looks all right for Palace, I guess."
